For the first time in North Texas, immigrants without state ID will be allowed to use parish identification cards to identify themselves with Farmers Branch, Carrollton and Dallas Police Department officers. DAI leaders negotiated this ground breaking police department policy change in the aftermath of the passage of anti-immigrant State Senate Bill 4, as a necessary step to promote trust between police and immigrants.
More than 1,500 immigrant leaders filled the sanctuary at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Farmers Branch in a standing-room-only assembly of leaders across multiple faiths and denominations. Three women shared stories of anti-immigrant abuse and community fears about reporting crimes to the police while lacking access to state-issued IDs. Friar Luis Arraza of Nuestra Señora de Lourdes and Fr. Mike Walsh explicitly challenged the chiefs of Farmers Branch, Carrollton and Dallas Police Departments to publicly commit to accepting parish identification cards as a means of identifying oneself during a police stop. All three said, ‘yes,’ to thunderous applause.
The largest applause, however, was reserved for Catholic Bishop Edward Burns who pledged, “the Church will do whatever it needs to do to stand with immigrants.”
Nine years prior, Farmers Branch was best-known for being the first Texas city to pass an anti-immigrant ordinance, which included fines for landlords renting to undocumented immigrants. The police department paid a price in community trust — one motivation for publicly pledging to accept parish IDs.
[Photo Credit: Elvia Limon, Dallas Morning News and Catholic Diocese of Dallas]
Inmigrantes Sin Licencia Podrán Usar Otro Tipo de Identificación Ante Policías de Dallas, Carrollton y Farmers Branch, Al Día Dallas
Immigrants Without State ID Will Be Allowed to Use Other Forms if Stopped by Dallas-area Police, Dallas Morning News
Policia: Cualquier Identificación Sirve Durante Una Detención, Telemundo [pdf]
Realizan un Foro Comunitario Sobre Inmigrantes en Farmers Branch, Univision [pdf]
Live Stream of Assembly, Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Discover our latest initiatives and see what’s new in our communities!
[Excerpts] On a Tuesday evening in mid-November, dozens of cars slow-rolled, bumper-to-bumper, along Northwest Highway, queuing to turn onto Hillcrest Road. Temple Emanu-El was this year’s host for Dallas Area...
Read More
“This is our moment to reimagine Dallas—not as it is, but as its residents want it to be.” - Pastor Vincent Parker, Lead Pastor of Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church...
Read More
For years, Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) tenant leaders have shone a public light on the hazardous, unbearable apartment conditions they face, and urged city officials to develop solutions to hold...
Read More
In response to changes in immigration law enforcement and the upsurge in ICE detentions and deportations, Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) is developing a legal representation strategy for people in detention. This...
Read More
Drawing more than 700 institutionally based leaders from across North Texas, Dallas Area Interfaith's 'Cry for Justice and Call to Action' tapped into fresh energy and galvanized new participation from all...
Read More
On the weekend after the election, Dallas Area Interfaith's bilingual parish leadership development training drew 60 ministry leaders from seven parishes and three guest institutions. Bishop Greg Kelly reflected on...
Read More
After Texas legislators passed the anti-immigrant Senate Bill 4, Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) leaders didn’t lose hope. Instead, they reached out directly to the Dallas Police Department, engaging them in...
Read More
[Excerpts] You have to wonder what would become of the residents of Kendall Villas without advocates like Dallas Area Interfaith pressing the city on their behalf. ....city staffers were aware...
Read More
[Excerpt] When Pope Francis told a group of U.S. community organizers that their work was "atomic," Jorge Montiel said, "I thought, 'Oh, you mean we blow things up?'" But instead,...
Read More
Leaking faucets, holes in the floor, and rats running across children's feet at night. An apartment manager refusing to start repairs without proof of US citizenship. These are just some of...
Read More
[Excerpts] On a Tuesday evening in mid-November, dozens of cars slow-rolled, bumper-to-bumper, along Northwest Highway, queuing to turn onto Hillcrest Road. Temple Emanu-El was this year’s host for Dallas Area...
Read More
“This is our moment to reimagine Dallas—not as it is, but as its residents want it to be.” - Pastor Vincent Parker, Lead Pastor of Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church...
Read More