On August 6, ICE and Texas Department of Public Safety officers ambushed four immigrants just outside of Austin City Hall. Inside the building, people were lined up to testify against Austin City Council giving tens of millions of dollars more to policing. They were shocked as DPS and ICE appeared to ambush these construction workers, who took a wrong turn and were suddenly swarmed by cops. Activists cite this as even more reason against the city giving Austin PD more funding. While APD was not directly involved in this arrest, activists have pointed out that the city is over-complying with Texas requirements to collaborate with ICE. Cate Graziani of VOCAL-TX explains that the city, too, is “complicit” in these ICE detentions and kidnappings. The ambush-style tactics used by law enforcement right outside the halls of city governance look to many like an occupying force. Graziani also explains that Texas is “ground zero” for the turn to repressive tactics against immigrants and oppressed people.

From BreakThrough News via This RSS Feed.