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Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and members, my name is Andrew Rivas and I am the executive director of the Texas Catholic Conference. The TCC is the statewide association of the 15 Roman Catholic dioceses in our state and it is our responsibility to advocate for the public policy positions of all the active Bishops of Texas.
Let me begin by thanking you Mr. Chairman, and the committee, for allowing me to testify today on SB 9. The TCC opposes this bill, first, because it is not the role of state and local entities, including the state department of transportation services, to screen the immigration status of individuals who are seeking a driver’s license. Our nation’s immigration system is flawed and must be remedied, but the solution must come through federal comprehensive immigration reform. Extensive and costly training will be required to ensure that local and state entities understand how to properly recognize and process immigration material, and even adequate training still leaves possible the chance that legal permanent residents or citizens will have increased difficulty in obtaining a license.
We also oppose the mandatory minimum sentencing language in the bill. “One-size-fits-all solutions are often inadequate. We must renew our efforts to ensure that the punishment fits the crime. Therefore, we do not support mandatory sentencing that replaces judges' assessments with rigid formulations (Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice, USCCB).”
Finally we oppose the requirement that law enforcement entities participate in the Federal Secure Communities Program. Our local communities can already choose to participate in this program; requiring them to do so would be a violation of a Catholic teaching called Subsidiarity. Subsidiarity explains that every person, family and intermediate group has something original to offer to the community and that entities, such as local and state government, must respect and support the decisions made by those persons, families and intermediate groups.
The U.S. Conference of Bishops has articulated important principles for Congress to keep in mind when considering immigration enforcement measures. They are very simple and straightforward; any and all measures must be targeted, proportional, and humane. The TCC opposes SB 9 because the proposed bill threatens the liberty of all Texans. We ask that every member of this committee also oppose the bill. Thank you for your time.
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