“To end unnecessary injuries and deaths, many law enforcement agencies nationwide have restricted vehicle pursuits to situations where they are necessary to prevent death, injury, or serious damage to property,” Vicki B. Gaubeca, associate director for US immigration and border policy at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
Despite these concerns, the Trump administration is looking to further entwine state and federal immigration enforcement with local policing.
As The Independent has reported, the surge of state troopers and Texas National Guard personnel has created an atmosphere of fear for Latinos in border counties.
And the White House is also seeking to cut federal funding to “sanctuary” jurisdictions that limit the extent that local police assist with federal immigration cases.
Texas officials credit Operation Lone Star with dramatic reductions in illegal border-crossing into the state, but critics say these figures come at a cost.
