A Texas State Representative called for a "challenge" to the 14th Amendment and blamed illegal immigrants for increases in communicable diseases following debate on a border security bill in the Texas House of Representatives Monday night.
State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler), who made national news late last year for introducing a slew of anti-immigrant legislation — including one bill which would strip legally born children of immigrants of rights to state services including public education — made the comments during a point of personal privilege following the passage of House Bill 13, a border security bill which passed to engrossment 140-5.
"This is probably the only time you are going to hear anyone talk about illegal aliens on the floor of the House of Representatives because we've been shut out of this bill at every turn," Berman said.
During his remarks, Berman railed against Rep. David Swinford (R-Dumas), chair of the House State Affairs Committee, and said that Swinford "unilaterally decided no illegal alien legislation would be heard on the floor of the House this year."
Berman said Swinford didn't want to turn State Affairs Committee meetings "into a circus," and that Swinford said, "all the bills were divisive." "But all of the State Affairs Committee Meetings were marathon circuses," Berman said.
Berman, who represents most of Smith County, including the tony Azalea District and far less affluent North Tyler (where many African Americans and Latinos reside) claimed his "middle class constituents" asked for these bills.
"We need to vote on illegal aliens to say that we did a little bit of something on it," Berman said.
Berman also criticized the fact that his bills, most of which were widely viewed as unconstitutional, were sent to Texas Attorney General Gregg Abbott for review.
"Nothing should ever leave this house for review by anyone else," Berman said.
Berman also waxed nostalgic about the olden days of immigration in America.
"In the early part of the century when my parents came through Ellis Island, they were given a physical examination. If anything wasn't right, they were put on the boat and sent back. Note I say 'immigrant,' because they are the people who...assimilate into our culture and pay their taxes and eventually raise their hands and become citizens."
Berman then proceeded to claim that illegal immigrants were bringing Polio, the plague, leprosy, tuberculosis, malaria, Chagas Disease and Dengue Fever to the United States in alarming numbers.
Berman also claimed that the El Paso Independent School District was being forced to hold a $290 million bond election all as a result of an influx in illegal aliens to the school district.
Berman also alluded to his bill which would have denied legally born children of illegal aliens any state benefits including education saying that the original legislative intent of the 14th Amendment was that it would not apply to "foreigners."
"I thought it was time for us to challenge the 14th amendment because we are creating more than 350,000 new U.S. Citizens a year and I believe they are being created erroneously."
Following Berman's remarks, two legislators took exception and responded.
Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio), reminded lawmakers that the Texas capitol was built "brick by brick" by immigrants, and noted it was time for the House to focus on more human needs:
"There are issues of immigration that go back to our bible. They did not start in this state and did not start in this century and they will not end in this state and this century....Let's think about the humanity, let's think about the human issues, there is nothing more human, nothing more elemental, than humanity...and when we replace human beings by calling them aliens and other derogatory terms, we are breaking them down...we are talking about mothers...fathers, and families..let us not forget about the human aspect of our debate. Remember the humanity in our debate and in our words."
El Paso Rep. Joe Pickett then corrected Berman on his claims about the El Paso Independent School District:
"This bond...is for American citizens...American citizens that are there because they are in the armed forces serving at Fort Bliss, and that is what the bond issue is for," Pickett said.
[X-Posted at CapitolAnnex.