Celina Moreno with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education fund presented on Immigration Policy at the 2013 Texas Latino Policy Summit.

1. Texas Latino Summit
Immigration Policy
Action Items for the 2015 Legislature
Presented by Celina Moreno
Legislative Staff Attorney at MALDEF

2. From 2011 to 2013:
A Change in Tune
• 2011: over 70 anti-immigrant bills filed, including bills
regarding sanctuary cities
• 2013: Session focused on education and
infrastructure, and had a more pro-immigrant tone, for
example:
– Bill passed requiring that a statement signed by a person accused
of a crime be in a language that he/she can read

3. But, no so fast…
• Threats to repeal Texas’ in-state tuition law for
undocumented students
– All 4 candidates so far for Lt. Governor want a repeal
• MALDEF, representing University Leadership
Initiative, fought recent legal attacks to the in-state
tuition law
– The group suing the State seeking to strike down the law dropped its
claim after our intervention
– We must be read on the policy front

4. Driver’s Licenses
• California passed a historic bill allowing undocumented immigrants
to obtain driver’s licenses.
• In Texas, bill would have allowed undocumented to drive legally and
purchase insurance in Texas if they passed a driving test and
criminal background check, submitted fingerprints, and proved
state residency.
• Support from key Republicans, insurance companies and others who
do not like people driving on our roads without insurance.
• Public safety angle: studies show that an unlicensed driver is more
likely to be involved in a fatal car crash.

5. What to look for in Driver’s License Bill
• Room for Racial Profiling?:
– Do the driver’s licenses/permits for undocumented immigrants
look vastly different from other licenses?
• What information will DPS collect and who will have
access to that information?
– Will the information sharing lead to trouble with immigration
enforcement?

6. In the Interim
• We want the House and Senate leadership during the
interim to study:
– The positive economic impact that would result from creating a
state driver’s license or permit for undocumented individuals
– How to best implement that program to ensure maximum
participation

7. TRUST Coalition
• Founded in 2007 by MALDEF, TAB, and ACLU
• Consists of business, religious& advocacy organizations
• Goal: Call on state leaders to find common ground and
support common sense policy affecting immigrants
• TRUST Coalition members have set the driver’s
license/permit issue as a top priority for 2015

8. Other Ideas for 2015:
Protect &Serve, not Deport
• Legislation that will bar police from asking crime victims
and witnesses about their immigration status
– Public safety for all Texans is jeopardized when police act as
immigration agents
– Empower undocumented immigrants and their families to
cooperate with criminal investigations without the fear of
deportation

9. “Lend me your ears”
DPS Checkpoints
• Set up in the Valley, purportedly to crack down on
unlicensed/uninsured drivers, but people asked about
immigration status
• DPS promised it was not asking about immigration status and
said it was shutting down the checkpoints
• Eyes and Ears on the Ground:
– Are these checkpoints indeed shut down? Are they in other parts of
the state? If the checkpoints are revived, are people being asked
about immigration status even after producing a license and
insurance? Are passengers being asked their immigration status?
Apartment Applications
• Non-Citizen Supplemental Form to verify lawful presence

10. Contact Information
Celina Moreno
cmoreno@maldef.org
210.224.5476, ext. 212