AUSTIN, Texas ― Hundreds of people showed up to protest when the Texas Senate took its first step last month toward passing a bill that would ban so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation with immigration authorities. On a day when public testimony lasted for more than 16 hours, Herrera gave one of the most impassioned speeches, urging the Senate’s Republican-controlled State Affairs Committee to abandon the immigration crackdown. “Thankfully,” Herrera said, the officer “saw a neighbor first and not a criminal. She’s worked in the Texas legislature and in health and human services agencies across the state. “Across the board, we are all public servants,” Herrera said, as state Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), the committee chairwoman, interrupted to signal that Herrera’s two minutes were up.

Source: Huffington Post March 15, 2017 22:07 UTC