kens5.com
Posted on June 16, 2011 at 7:59 PM
Updated today at 8:06 PM
HOUSTON ? A Texas senator is drawing criticism for interrupting a Spanish speaker and telling him he should "be speaking in English" during a committee hearing.
The exchange happened Monday during a Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee hearing on the so-called sanctuary cities bill. The legislation, which the Senate passed later in the week, would allow local law enforcement officials to check a suspect?s immigration status.
Supporters of Senate Bill 9 have said it would help crack down on illegal immigrants. Opponents argue that it will do little to help border security and that it?s instead based on racism.
Antolin Aguirre of the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition was testifying against the measure through an interpreter. He?d said he had been in the U.S. since 1988.
About two minutes into his speech, Sen. Chris Harris, a Republican from Arlington, interrupted.
"Did I understand him correctly that he has been here since 1988?" Harris asked. "Why aren?t you speaking in English then?"
Through his interpreter, Aguirre said Spanish is his "first language and since it is his first time giving testimony he would rather do it in Spanish."
Harris fired back.
"It is insulting to us," Harris said. "It is very insulting. And if he knows English, he needs to be speaking in English."
The committee?s vice chairman, Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, quickly stepped in to distance himself from Harris? comments.
"As individuals come forward and speak their personal point of view about how they feel about things, senators also are entitled to speak their personal point of view and may not be speaking for everybody as well," Watson said.
On Thursday, Harris? office told?reporters that he didn?t think his comments were out of line.
"Senator Harris? comments were in no way intended to be derogatory," his spokesperson, Kristen Webb, said in a written statement. "He continues to support the passage of SB 9 which will prevent Texas cities from directly or indirectly harboring illegal immigrants.? This legislation creates a uniform standard across the state that will make Texas safer."
But the exchange has rekindled the immigration debate throughout the state and it brings up a provocative question: Should immigrants be required to speak English?
"I feel like it?s discrimination because of our language," said Victor Ibarra, president of Alianza Mexicana in Houston.
Hispanic groups claim they?ve seen an increase in anti-Latino sentiment at the State Capitol over the past few days as the debate over the sanctuary cities bill has intensified.
"Not only in the state of Texas, but all over the country, we?ve seen the escalation of racist rhetoric," said?Cesar Espinosa, another Houston-based Latino advocate and executive director of FIEL.
The Senate passed the bill late Wednesday. A House vote is expected within the next few days.
?
?
nyse antichrist charlotte gainsbourg clip art moroccan oil airmax local news
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.