Sanctuary! Sanctuary!! The Hunchback Sheriff of Texas?

When I was a kid I watched the 1939 film, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, starring the late Maureen O’Hara. Loved that scene where Quasimodo, the hunchback, lifts the gypsy Esmeralda (Ms. O’Hara) in the air and shouts “Sanctuary! Sanctuary!!” (YouTube Video Clip.)

Back in December 2016, in Texas, there was a big brew ha ha about “fair chance” employment … blah blah … something about employing folks (US citizens) with a criminal record.  Never heard what the end result of the debate was on this topic. Didn’t keep up with the news reports. Either it was settled or it wasn’t. No matter as it surely got pushed to a back burner because NOW … the red hot button in Texas politics is “sanctuary cities”?

Ever heard of them? I hadn’t heard of such places until I moved to Texas. It’s ironic. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. As soon as the push-back started about banning sanctuary cities, Miami jumped into it! Eh! It’s always HOT in Miami anyway. 🙂

• For the record (for MY record): Texas is not the only state that has to address the issue of illegal immigrants. All my life, Miami has been dealing with illegal immigrants. But I never heard the phrase “sanctuary city”, until about a year ago, here in Texas.

So here’s what happening as of January 2017.

Our Texas Governor Greg Abbot is in a sparring match with one of our county sheriffs, Sally Fernandez. He’s FOR getting rid of the sanctuary cities and already in the process of preparing legislation to do so. Sally Fernandez, the Travis County Sheriff, says she’s AGAINST because she made a promise to her voters that … (not really sure what the “promise” was, even though she explained herself in an interview on the NPR radio).  Bottom line:  This disagreement is something or other about NOT detaining undocumented illegals for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

It’s really a BIG STINK!! The yelling and screaming. The huffing and puffing.  Each one is threatening to blow down the “house” of the other one.

Both sides talking:

• No I am not backing down! You better back down!!

Sheriff’s supporters:

• The people voted and put the sheriff in office! You can’t just fire her because she doesn’t agree with you! The governor is being undemocratic and overstepping his authority as governor!

Governor’s supporters:

• Undemocratic?! The sheriff ain’t doing her job of serving and protecting. How about we cut off federal grant money for the county’s law enforcement operations? How you like them apples?!

Quite frankly, I’m not clear on the sheriff’s “objections”. She wasn’t very convincing in her interview and seems like she’s standing on “shaky ground”. (Just my opinion and observation.)

But I’m also not convinced the Governor’s “method” of settling the disagreement is the right way to handle the situation.

But you know what? They are both elected officials.

Let ’em duke it out! It’s the democratic way. 🙂

We’ll see if there is a Hunchback of Texas who will swoop down and lift the undocumented illegals to sanctuary!! 

Or if they’ll get the Texas boot!

* * *

References:

• O’Reilly, Andrew. “Governors: Texas Gov. Abbott Threatens to Oust Officials Who Promote Sanctuary Cities.” FoxNews.com. FoxNews Network, LLC., 26 Jan. 2017. Web. 28 Jan. 2017.

• Ingraham, Christopher. “Wonkblog: Analysis : Trump Says Sanctuary Cities Are Hotbeds of Crime. Data Say the Opposite.” The Washington Post. N.p., 27 Jan. 2017. Web. 28 Jan. 2017.

• Mazzei, Patricia. “Miami-Dade Mayor Orders Jails to Comply with Trump Crackdown on ‘sanctuary’ Counties.” MiamiHerald.com. Miami Herald Media Company, 26 Jan. 2017. Web. 28 Jan. 2017.

Featured Image Credit:

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) | | Ffilms.org.” N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2017.