The million-dollar question is, can the immigrant community trust HPD?
Council Member Martinez seemed to have gotten tongue-tied as he couldn’t quite figure out how to convince the immigrant community that he cared and why the immigrant community should trust the police. He said he needed help, to keep the mayor happy, and to do something to help the immigrant community. That is my interpretation.
Picture yourself in a similar situation. Would you risk getting deported, separated from your family, by trusting that the police will not notify ICE?
During the Council session last night, John Whitmire and two other council members seemed to suggest that bringing the family of a child who was picked up by HPD and then sent to a place where ICE became aware that the child was here illegally, was exposing the family. I don’t think so; in fact, that may be what is preventing ICE from swooping in, picking up the family, and quickly deporting them as they have been doing to others.
The family has requested access to the body camera footage, which remains unreleased pending an investigation.
What is HPD investigating? If everything was done correctly, as the mayor and a few city council members claim, why is there an investigation? Council Member Kamin stated that they have allowed families to see the video in some instances. Why can’t the family see the video? That is one of the things that they are asking for.
John Whitmire accused the FIEL representative of charging families for help. What does AI have to say about that? If Whitmire has proof that FIEL or the representative charged families, he should put up or shut up. If Whitmire couldn’t back up his claim, he should not have said anything.
Here is a link to the video of the council meeting. It should start where the FIEL representative begins speaking.
No, the Fiel Houston organization does not ask for money from the families they help, as they are a non-profit that provides services and resources to immigrants and low-income families. However, families may incur costs from government agencies for services like immigration applications. Fiel Houston does not charge a fee for its assistance, but it does operate as a nonprofit organization that relies on donations and grants to provide its services.
Fiel Houston’s services are free to the families they help. It is important to remember that Fiel Houston provides legal aid and immigration services.
To qualify for Fiel Houston’s services, you must be an immigrant, a low-income family, or a member of an underserved community. The organization does not charge for its services and can provide legal assistance for a wide range of immigration and immigration-related issues.
The organization also provides a variety of other services, such as assistance with family law matters, domestic violence, and other civil matters. These services are also available for free to those who qualify.
If you are an immigrant or a low-income family who needs assistance, you can contact Fiel Houston at any time to schedule a consultation.