Memo to Border Czar Tom Homan and Governor Greg Abbott:
Regarding: Recent raid on Colony Ridge , a low-income housing development northeast of Houston, where law enforcement detained 118 individuals on alleged immigration violations.
To the extent that the joint operation captured people charged or convicted of “criminal sexual conduct, homicide, theft, negligent manslaughter, child sexual abuse, crimes of moral turpitude, weapons offenses, and drug offenses,” I congratulate you. Nobody wants suspected felons who pose a flight risk in our community.
We all understand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have always targeted dangerous criminals. We also know that ICE will never meet President Donald Trump’s goal of 1,200 to 1,500 arrests per day if it only targets suspected criminals.
Many people detained at Colony Ridge have no criminal record. They, like those sent to Guantanamo Bay, were caught in a dragnet.
Apprehensions along the border have dropped dramatically as the number of migrant crossings has decreased. Governor, if you want to continue spending billions of dollars on immigration enforcement, you might want to redeploy National Guard troops.
May I suggest additional strategies to reduce the pull factor that encourages innocent people to pay criminals and risk their lives for a slim chance at a better life? Go after employers who exploit undocumented migrants to increase profits while avoiding paying fair wages.
CERAWeek, a massive energy conference in Houston, provides an excellent opportunity. We know that during major events, hotels and restaurants hire temporary workers with questionable documents. The hospitality industry has relied on undocumented labor for far too long.
I would recommend deploying National Guard troops in a cordon around the Discovery Green hotels around 9:30 a.m. on March 10. All of the luncheon contract servers and room cleaners will be present, making this an ideal time for an ICE raid.
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth and CERAWeek co-founder Daniel Yergin will be on stage, but I’m sure they won’t mind if there’s some commotion in the lobby.
Everyone will feel at ease with masked, heavily armed agents in body armor escorting uniformed workers from the buildings, even if their lunch is cold by the time it arrives at the tables.
If you really want to make a big deal and encourage more migrants to flee the country, conduct a simultaneous raid on the SXSW Conference and Festivals in downtown Austin on the same or next day.
Attendees at SXSW may be slightly more hostile to ICE operations than oil and gas executives. As a result, I recommend sending Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, to reassure the techies about the plan. Additionally, agents can review H1B visa holders.
While hospitality companies provide a target-rich environment for apprehending migrants, don’t overlook the construction industry.
Texas’ population is rapidly expanding, and dozens of residential developments are under construction. David Weekley Homes has announced plans to build seven new communities in Conroe, League City, Richmond, Todd Mission, and The Woodlands.
According to my industry sources, I would recommend a raid when framing, roofing, or drywall sub-subcontractors are at their busiest. These are the trades that rely the most on undocumented labor.
Raiding workplaces provide numerous advantages over sweeps in impoverished neighborhoods. In addition to detaining people who could work in America, ICE has the authority to levy significant fines on employers who provide an economic incentive for migrants.
The arrests may also reveal a pattern of hiring undocumented workers, indicating probable cause for criminal charges against CEOs.
However, taking these steps will require a great deal of political courage. Arrests at CERAWeek will inconvenience Make America Great Again supporters by leaving beds unmade and reducing food service.
Nothing kills the party mood like a zip-tied woman sobbing because she doesn’t know when she’ll see her children again.
Governor, you might receive an angry call from David Weekley, one of Texas Republicans’ largest donors. While he is very conservative, he may become irritated if you interfere with his construction timelines. Texas builders have long opposed E-Verify requirements for this very reason.
Please resist the temptation to focus solely on the communities that the governor has unfairly portrayed as cartel strongholds. He tends to exaggerate. Also, do not stoop so low as to raid the Poteet Strawberry Festival; that is an important crop.
Who am I fooling? You don’t have the guts to go after employers or conduct a raid where middle-class Americans can see the cruelty of President Donald Trump’s policies.
