Commissioners approve resolution supporting immigrants

El Paso County Commissioners voted 4-1 on a resolution that states the County is focused on supporting undocumented immigrants.

“Members of our community, who I think are some of the most vulnerable, have been marginalized even further through campaign rhetoric and political talk,” county judge Veronica Escobar said. “There are limitations on what we can do, but what we can do is put our resources to work in Austin, vis-a-vis our lobby team.”

County commissioner Andrew Haggerty was the lone voter against the resolution.

“The county’s job has nothing to do with immigration. The county’s job has nothing to do with this kind of policy,” Haggerty said. “I think our immigration system is absolutely broken, but it’s not our role to fix, and that’s why I voted how I voted.”

Cheers from members of the immigration rights community erupted after the resolution was passed. Fernando Garcia is the founding director of the Border Network for Human Rights. He said he was upset at Haggerty’s decision.

“He should be ashamed. He should be very, very ashamed,” Garcia said. “I don’t have any remorse and I don’t regret saying that voting against the resolution is just a racist act.”

Haggerty defended his vote.

“Unfortunately in today’s society, if you don’t agree with what I’m saying, it’s not because you don’t agree with what I’m saying it’s because you’re a racist, you’re a sexist, you’re an elitist, you’re a ‘whatever-ist,'” Haggerty said. “Anyone who knows me knows I’m not [racist], and I can go to sleep at night knowing the truth about that.”

Escobar acknowledged there is some concern about today’s decision because of the Trump administration coming into office.

“There were a lot of threats made by Donald Trump as to — withholding of grants — to local jurisdictions,” Escobar said. “We don’t know what’s coming down the pipe, but we thought it was very important to us to tell all of the people who reside in our community that they have a place here.”