“We wholeheartedly applaud Sheriff Gonzalez for taking this bold and courageous step today that will make our communities safer.
“This is a smart decision that will make our city and county safer. While President Trump and Gov. Abbott are out every day demonizing immigrants, it takes courage and leadership from our local law enforcement officials to put our safety over politics.
“Our efforts to mobilize tens of thousands of Latino voters was due in large part to his pledge to get rid of 287g, a program that converted county employees into immigration agents and sowed fear and distrust in immigrant communities. When the community knows that law enforcement has such a cozy relationship with immigration enforcement, it does have a chilling effect when deciding whether to report a crime or come forward as a witness.
“In the next few months, as Trump and Abbott ramp up their deportation machine that will unfairly target hard working mothers, fathers and students, we look forward to working with Sheriff Gonzalez and other local elected leaders to keep our communities safe.
“In Houston, we like to credit ourselves as the most diverse city. Now, we have to work together to make our city and county the safest and most welcoming. Otherwise, being diverse means nothing.”