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Councilmembers walk out during Sekula-Gibbs statement on immigration
03:43 PM CDT on Thursday, September 28, 2006
From 11 News Staff Reports
Click to watch video of statement/walkout
Several Houston City Councilmembers walked out of chambers Wednesday saying they were offended by comments from Councilmember and District 22 Congressional candidate Shelley Sekula-Gibbs.
KHOU
Many questioned the timing of Sekula-Gibbs statement.
After commenting on the funeral of HPD Officer Rodney Johnson, Sekula-Gibbs asked Mayor Bill White to review a current policy in which police officers are not allowed to ask someone their immigration status.
"It is with that sense of great respect that I ask that you rescind the city sanctuary policy and that you work with immigration to rescind that order," said Sekula-Gibbs.
As she spoke, the council members got up and left.
"I was embarrassed to be in the room with somebody talking like that," Councilwoman Toni Lawrence, a Republican and one of the first to leave, told the Houston Chronicle. "There's a lot of things I disagree with, maybe the way immigration is handled, federally, and this is not the time to make a comparison."
HPD's sanctuary policy
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Others agree it was inapproprite for Sekula-Gibbs to bring up the policy on the day Johnson was laid to rest.
Among the critics: Democrat Nick Lampson, Her opponent for the District 22 seat.
"Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is a long-standing supporter of the sanctuary policy for illegal immigrants," said Lampson. "She's tried to change her position over the past couple of months and back away from her liberal stance on immigration. But it doesn't work that way. She has always supported what she calls "sanctuary" policies, and it's classless for her to try and use the funeral of a police officer to pull the wool over the eyes of voters."
The issue came to the forefront after Officer Johnson was gunned down in the line of duty. The suspect, Juan Quintero, is an illegal immigrant.
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Online at: http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou060928_mh_gibbswalkout.257f6209.html
03:43 PM CDT on Thursday, September 28, 2006
From 11 News Staff Reports
Click to watch video of statement/walkout
Several Houston City Councilmembers walked out of chambers Wednesday saying they were offended by comments from Councilmember and District 22 Congressional candidate Shelley Sekula-Gibbs.
KHOU
Many questioned the timing of Sekula-Gibbs statement.
After commenting on the funeral of HPD Officer Rodney Johnson, Sekula-Gibbs asked Mayor Bill White to review a current policy in which police officers are not allowed to ask someone their immigration status.
"It is with that sense of great respect that I ask that you rescind the city sanctuary policy and that you work with immigration to rescind that order," said Sekula-Gibbs.
As she spoke, the council members got up and left.
"I was embarrassed to be in the room with somebody talking like that," Councilwoman Toni Lawrence, a Republican and one of the first to leave, told the Houston Chronicle. "There's a lot of things I disagree with, maybe the way immigration is handled, federally, and this is not the time to make a comparison."
HPD's sanctuary policy
Do you think HPD should change its sanctuary policy?
Yes
No
View Results
Others agree it was inapproprite for Sekula-Gibbs to bring up the policy on the day Johnson was laid to rest.
Among the critics: Democrat Nick Lampson, Her opponent for the District 22 seat.
"Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is a long-standing supporter of the sanctuary policy for illegal immigrants," said Lampson. "She's tried to change her position over the past couple of months and back away from her liberal stance on immigration. But it doesn't work that way. She has always supported what she calls "sanctuary" policies, and it's classless for her to try and use the funeral of a police officer to pull the wool over the eyes of voters."
The issue came to the forefront after Officer Johnson was gunned down in the line of duty. The suspect, Juan Quintero, is an illegal immigrant.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online at: http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou060928_mh_gibbswalkout.257f6209.html