Protesters call for compassion amid immigration enforcement action in Granite Shoals
Dozens of protesters marched through Granite Shoals on Saturday, July 14, to bring attention to ongoing immigration enforcement operations in the area, and their concerns for the undocumented members of the Highland Lakes community. Courtesy photo from Florisbel Jaramillo Macedo
Dozens of protesters marched through Granite Shoals on the morning of Saturday, July 13, to bring attention to recent immigration enforcement action in the Highland Lakes area. Another protest is planned for 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, at Quarry Park in Granite Shoals.
Local, state, and federal law enforcement also shared their levels of involvement in immigration enforcement in the area.
Mayra Rojas, a Granite Shoals resident, told DailyTrib that she helped organize Saturday’s protest on Friday afternoon. She estimated that about 120 people in total attended, marching down Phillips Ranch Road and stationing themselves at the RR 1431 intersection.
“All we are asking for is compassion and dignity,” she said. “Regardless of where you’re born, we want everyone to feel seen.”
Rojas is a U.S. citizen, born in Fredericksburg, and a longtime resident of the Highland Lakes area, but she hoped the protest would bring attention to the plight of residents who are undocumented while living and working in Burnet County.
“We have family members that are scared to go to work,” she said. “They are worried about being taken in by (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers or police or being treated how they are on the news. I’m scared too. I was scared to protest because I don’t know how the community is going to react.”
According to Rojas, there has been a recent increase in immigration enforcement action in and around Granite Shoals.
Her assessment is backed up by Granite Shoals Police Chief John Ortis, who told DailyTrib that there were increased operations in the area by ICE officers supported by the Texas Department of Public Safety on Friday, July 10, and Monday, July 13.
“I can tell you right now, what has happened on Friday and Monday was not affiliated with the Granite Shoals Police Department,” he said. “As far as what has been going on, that is a DPS operation in conjunction with ICE on (U.S.) 281 and (RR) 1431, not (GSPD), not any local (police department).”
Rojas pointed to the impact she has seen on children in the Granite Shoals community as immigration enforcement action has escalated.
“Kids have phones, they see all of this 24/7,” she said. “Us as adults, we can understand, but children don’t understand. The police are supposed to make us feel safe, regardless of where you’re from, and everybody is scared for their lives right now.”
GSPD response
Chief Ortis acknowledged that his department and the city of Granite Shoals had entered into an agreement with ICE through a 287(g) task force model, effective April 28.
Under the 287(g) model, GSPD officers would gain limited immigration law enforcement training and resources. But Ortis stated that his officers were not involved in purely immigration-related operations, but focused on criminal activity, enforcing immigration law only if it coincided with another serious crime.
“The primary reason for this is not to interfere with the federal government enforcement,” Ortis told DailyTrib during a May interview. “We’re not here to break up families. We are not going to do that.”
He made it clear that he was willing to meet with anyone regarding local immigration enforcement activity, regardless of their status as a U.S. citizen.
Contact the chief:
-email: jfo.police@graniteshoals.org
-phone: (830) 693-3611
-in person: 410 N. Phillips Ranch Road
In a written response to questions from DailyTrib, Ortis said the following:
“Decisions regarding federal immigration enforcement priorities are made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and questions about those priorities are best directed to that agency.
“The recent activities conducted across the state by other agencies is in no part of the Granite Shoals Police Department. The Granite Shoals Police Department’s focus remains on serving our community, protecting public safety, and responding to criminal activity within our jurisdiction.
“Our officers are committed to treating every person with fairness, professionalism, and respect, regardless of race, ethnicity, or immigration status. We believe that public safety and community trust go hand in hand, and we remain dedicated to serving all members of our community with integrity while carrying out our responsibilities under the law.
“As with anyone accused of a crime, every individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
“We recognize that this topic raises important questions for many members of our community. Regardless of differing viewpoints, our commitment remains the same: to serve the people of Granite Shoals with professionalism, integrity, fairness, and respect while working every day to keep our community safe.”
DPS response
A DPS spokesperson sent the following in a response to questions from DailyTrib regarding recent immigration enforcement:
“Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers are supporting our federal partners in (Burnet County).
“This collaboration is part of a larger partnership between DPS and federal authorities – including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – that has been ongoing for years to assist with the removal of dangerous criminal illegal immigrants from our communities and combat illegal immigration.
“This partnership remains in full force, and DPS continues to stand ready to assist these agencies as requested as we protect and serve the people of this state.”
DPS has worked on immigration enforcement operations in the Highland Lakes area, notably in January, when troopers were stationed throughout Kingsland along RR 1431.
ICE response
An ICE spokesperson submitted the following in response to questions from DailyTrib regarding enforcement operations in Burnet County:
“Every day, ICE carries out law enforcement activities nationwide to protect the American public. As part of these efforts, ICE routinely makes arrests in states across the country.”
The statement also referenced a $2,600 federal incentive and a free flight for those undocumented in the United States to voluntarily self deport.
“We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to return to the U.S. the legal way, to pursue the American dream,” reads the statement. “If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”