‘I’m illegal and here to stay’ said some signs at the Texas state Capitol Monday as protestors gathered to express their displeasure over an anti-sanctuary city bill that was signed into law.
After seeing the signs, Rep. Matt Rinaldi contacted ICE officials, according WSAW-TV.
“This demonstrates the sentiment of the Republican party,” Democratic Rep. Cesar Blanco. It is rumored that many other Republicans called ICE and they don’t know if those folks are U.S. citizens or not, they were just brown.”
Rinaldi claims the protests led to a scuffle, where he was physically threatened, and that he's now under the protection of law enforcement.
WSAW reports that during the scuffle, Rinaldi threatened to "put a bullet in the head" of Democratic lawmaker Poncho Nevarez.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Representative Rinaldi admitted he did make the threat, but only after he says Nevarez threatened his life. Nevarez later disputed Rinaldi's claim via Twitter.
No charges were filed against either of lawmakers.
Texas recently passed a law that requires local police departments to enforce federal immigration laws. The measure allows the state to criminally charge police chiefs and city officials should they not help enforce immigration law, it also gives local law enforcement the ability to ask about a person’s immigration status during an arrest or lawful detention.
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