EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Hundreds of people marched from the heart of Downtown El Paso to Sacred Heart Church in a show of solidarity for migrants and those who assist them.
Religious leaders and migrant advocacy groups organized the “Do Not Be Afraid March and Vigil for Human Dignity,” to allow the community a moment of prayer and resistance in response to the state of Texas’ SB4 law, which would allow local law enforcement question and arrest people they suspect of being in the country illegally.
The El Paso-based Hope Border Institute said SB4 will have “grave consequences,” adding that it “will unequivocally create an environment of fear and distrust in local Texas communities, erode welcoming efforts, and legitimize racial profiling.”
The organization also said the federal government must challenge Operation Lone Star, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security initiative, for which the Legislature has approved over $10 billion.
Hundreds of El Pasoans took part in the “Do Not Be Afraid March and Vigil for Human Dignity” through Downtown El Paso on March 21, 2024. (Sebastian Esquivel/KTSM)
Hope Border Institute is an independent grassroots community organization that brings together local leaders, communities of faith, advocates and policymakers “to create transformational change and build solidarity across borders.”
During Thursday’s march, the message was to denounce the state’s efforts to criminalize migration and humanitarian relief efforts, affirm our welcoming borderland community, remember those dying at the border, and demand humane solutions.
“This legislation will do nothing but harm communities across Texas, and other states will follow suit,” said Dylan Corbett, executive director of the Hope Border Institute.
The march, which was planned days ago, got underway hours after a chaotic scene at the border, where hundreds of migrants forced their way past a barricade manned by members of the Texas Army National Guard. Video published by the New York Post shows several soldiers with weapons in hand trying to hold back a large crowd, but the migrants push them aside and rush a gate at the border wall. There were other scuffles involving migrants and National Guard members near International Marker 36 on the border wall, commonly called Gate 36. Federal authorities eventually sent large white buses and began processing the migrants.
Texas passed SB4 last year but the U.S. Justice Department sued, saying the law violates federal authority. It is on hold, for now, after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on the Texas law Wednesday, but did not rule.
Abbott has defended the law, arguing that Texas has a constitutional right to protect its borders. And he has repeatedly blamed the Biden administration for what he calls “open border policies.”
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