TX lawmaker recalls life as illegal immigrant as controversial v - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

Countless hours of criticism from democrats in the state Senate did not stop a controversial immigration bill from passing late Tuesday night.

The decision led to an emotionally charged rally outside the State Capitol Wednesday afternoon.

Hundreds of Hispanics from communities all across the state gathered with American flags in hand to protest the passage of Senate Bill 9.

The bill includes a ban on so-called sanctuary cities.  It is legislation Gov. Rick Perry labeled a top priority during the regular session.

According to language in the bill, local governments and law enforcement would not be barred from asking a detained person their immigration status.

Anyone needing a drivers license would have to prove their U.S. citizenship, and every person jailed would be run through a federal program to check their immigration status.

SB9 is now in the hands of the Texas House, and some of its members say the proposed law will lead to racial profiling.

Rep.  Ana Hernandez Luna (D-Houston) says the bill more than bad policy.  She says it's personal.

"My parents came here looking for a better opportunity for their two daughters and that is what is our country is about," Hernandez Luna said.

Hernandez Luna was born in Reynosa, Mexico.  She and her family came to the country on visitors visas.

"We overstayed our visa and it was the immigration reform of 1986.  We were able to become temporary citizens and permanent residents.  I became a citizen at age 18," she said.

Hernandez Luna's father did shift-work at a warehouse, and her mother worked in retail.

"You'd be afraid to go to the grocery store because there would be an immigration raid at the grocery store," she said.

After graduating high school, Hernandez Luna attended the University of Houston.  She later attended the University of Texas School of Law before being elected to the Texas House of Representatives in December of 2005. 

She is fearful that the members of the 82^nd legislature will pass SB9, a bill she considers anti-immigration legislation.

"Our law enforcement does an extraordinary job, but we do have some bad apples," she said.  "That's what we're afraid of-that those bad apples are going to start racial profiling our community, our Latino community and that's very personal for us."

There are a handful of Hispanic republican representatives in the state House who do not see it that way.

"Racial profiling is illegal in Texas and has been illegal since 2001.  This bill does nothing to change that," Rep. Larry Gonzales (R-Round Rock) said.  "Racial profiling is illegal in Texas and will remain illegal once this bill passes."

Hernandez Luna and her democratic colleagues disagree, but their concerns are likely to be overlooked by the republican supermajority.

"Which is very saddening because it's not the direction our state needs to go in," Hernandez Luna said.

The House is expected to pass SB9 within the next two weeks.