City officials say San Antonio will continue its welcoming policy toward immigrants and refugees of all types, and officials reject claims by closed-border conservatives that the city's 'sanctuary policy' was part of the reason that the tractor trailer stuffed with immigrants came here, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"Our response should serve as a lesson to the world that San Antonio will not turn its back on any man, woman, or child in need," Mayor Nirenberg said.
Supporters of the newly passed state law banning 'Sanctuary City' policies say the fact that San Antonio is one of several Texas cities which are asking a federal judge to throw out the law, was essentially putting out a welcome mat for illegals, with deadly results.
"Sanctuary Cities" entice people to believe they can come to America and Texas and Texas and live outside the law," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wrote on Facebook on Sunday. "Sanctuary Cities also enable human smugglers and cartels."
Patrick was a major supporter of the new law, which, if it is not blocked by a federal judge, is set to take effect September 1, which would make it a crime for any police chief, sheriff, or mayor not to cooperate with immigration officials, and allows police officers to inquire about the immigration status of people who are 'detained,' including in a traffic stop.
Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller immediately expressed his 'sadness, even anger' over the 'completely senseless deaths' of people who died as human smuggling victims.
"Unfortunately, law enforcement has reported an upsurge in these types of human smuggling and trafficking operations at the border in recent months, with increasingly desperate individuals seeking safety and a better life for their families, placing their well being and indeed their lives in the hands of reprehensible, callous smugglers and traffickers," the Archbishop said.
Councilman Rey Saldana, who represents the district where the trailer stuffed with immigrants was found, says nobody needs to die this way.
"Frankly, there is not a lot of tools in the toolbox for local officials to come up with solutions for this," Saldana said. "It's heartbreaking."