Immigration enforcement is dominating news coverage across the nation. Bexar County leaders recently voted to spend $1 million of your tax dollars for the legal defense of immigrants fighting deportation.
Supporters of the county’s Immigrant Legal Defense Fund say everyone deserves representation in immigration court.
Opponents fear the program could help repeat, violent offenders get released.
Just before the holidays, the four Democrat members of the Bexar County Commissioners Court voted to extend the million dollar contract with a non-profit called American Gateways, which provides immigration attorneys to represent people facing deportation and request their release on bond from ICE detention.
“It doesn’t make any sense, it’s an egregious use, misuse of taxpayer dollars,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Grant Moody.
Moody, a Republican, was the only no vote. He says there’s nothing in the contract preventing repeat, violent offenders from receiving assistance from the program.
“The idea that we would use taxpayer dollars to defend violent criminals from being deported from our country is insane,” Moody said.
American Gateways declined our interview request, but at commissioners’ court one of their attorneys claimed the vast majority of people they represent have no criminal history.
“The Bexar County Immigrant Legal Defense Fund has allowed us to obtain the release for six children who were in immigrant detention,” said Laura Flores-Dixit.
We submitted an open records request for case information that might show whether recipients had criminal records. The county rejected it saying they are judicial records not subject to the Texas Public Information Act.
“Most of these cases are about keeping families together, it is not about defending violent criminals,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores, who voted in favor of the fund.
“Can you be sure of that?” asked News 4 I-Team reporter Jaie Avila.
“Am I 100 percent sure? No. But I’m 98 percent sure,” Clay-Flores responded.
County Judge Peter Sakai, who also voted for the program, did provide us with a document stating 84 clients have received legal representation.
He argues people released from detention can work and support their families which reduces demand on county services.
“So, we saw this as a win-win for the taxpayers. Get people out of jail that don’t belong there because of their immigrant status, also too, let’s keep children and families together,” Sakai said.
Commissioner Moody says the county risks being sued by the state, which filed a lawsuit against Harris County last November for a similar immigrant legal defense fund operating there.
Below is the Information Sheet on the fund provided to News 4 San Antonio by Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai.