Repubs Lob ‘Sanctuary’ Grenade at White

Ah the smell of napalm in the morning. Bill White had barely announced his race for governor when the Repubs started accusing him of being soft on illegal immigrants by characterizing Houston as a “sanctuary city.” Check out this latest volley from the Texas Republican Party which scrawls sanctuary city across White’s face.

Get ready folks for another showdown as Repubs and Demos throw immigrants under the bus to curry the favor of fickle voters. The term “sanctuary city” has become shorthand for being a softie when it comes to illegal immigration. “Welcome to Texico” lamented one GOP commenter in a blog about a potential win by White in the gubernatorial race.

Conservatives have been dogging White for years over Houston’s purported status as a sanctuary city. In 2007, Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly went on a rant blaming White and Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt for the actions of a Pasadena man who fatally shot two undocumented Colombians who were robbing a neighbors home.

“These two illegal aliens are dead because of Houston’s sanctuary city policies,” O’Reilly harrumphed during his show.

In a 2007, Houston Chronicle story, White took issue with O’Reilly’s accusations. “It’s a blatant untruth that Houston is a sanctuary city,” he told the paper.

Hard core anti-immigration folks would like to see police roundups in the style of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and cops asking drivers for their immigration status when they are pulled over for traffic violations. Anything less is a sanctuary city in their minds.