President of Houston Police Union Calls for 287(g)

While executing a drug search warrant, Houston Police Officer Rick Salter was shot and critically wounded by an illegal alien with three prior drug arrests. The incident has the president of the Houston Police Officers Union Gary Blankinship urging the Mayor of Houston to amend an old policy that forbids officers from inquiring about a suspect’s immigration status and also wants the city to become part of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) local initiative.

Blankinship called for the changes in an article published by the Houston Chronicle.

…the Houston Police Officers Union joins you [Houston Mayor Bill White] in urging Washington to live up to its clear responsibilities; but today we also are calling on you, along with Gov. Rick Perry and other state and local leaders, to finally recognize state and local governments also have a vitally important and necessary role to play in addressing illegal immigration.

It’s time for you to do your job as well.

For starters, you should amend or scrap the 17-year-old Houston Police Department policy (General Order No. 500-5), which firmly states that “officers shall not inquire as to the citizenship status of any person, nor will officers detain or arrest any persons solely on the belief that they are in this country illegally.”

Blankinship criticizes the Houston Mayor for blaming federal officials for not acting fast enough on convicted illegal aliens, but he also points to Houston’s “sanctuary status” that allows anyone, regardless of immigration status, to benefit from the city’s services and opportunities.

The bottom line, gentlemen, is that constantly pointing the finger of blame at Washington while kicking this can down the road is no way to fix this problem. Today, more than ever, we need real leadership, hard choices and a proactive new mindset at the state and local level.

You can read Gary Blankinship’s entire article at the Houston Chronicle’s website.