Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

   
      88(3) HCR 1 - Introduced version - Bill Text
      
            88S30451 KSM-F
         
		By:  Oliverson
            H.C.R.  No.  1
         
               CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
            
                          WHEREAS, Numerous properties in the Colony Ridge development 
         
            of Liberty County have been sold to illegal immigrants, resulting 
         
            in a national security concern that threatens the safety and 
         
            quality of life in local communities; and
         
                          WHEREAS, Mortgage lenders are able to offer non-citizens 
         
            specialized loans that use individual tax identification numbers 
         
            instead of social security numbers; Colony Ridge Land, LLC, which 
         
            does business as Terrenos Houston, has sold land to customers using 
         
            ITIN loans, and its development's population has grown to include 
         
            an estimated 50,000 to 75,000 residents, many of whom are in the 
         
            country illegally; in addition, advertisements for Colony Ridge 
         
            properties have been published in Spanish through international 
         
            communication channels; and
         
                          WHEREAS, Colony Ridge and the surrounding area lack 
         
            sufficient law enforcement presence; this has attracted illegal 
         
            immigrants as well as cartel activity, and the Gulf and Sinaloa 
         
            cartels have reportedly purchased land in the development for safe 
         
            houses, which are used to smuggle drugs and people into the United 
         
            States; in addition, there is evidence of cartel involvement from 
         
            early in the development's history, and in 2021, the Drug 
         
            Enforcement Administration carried out the largest drug bust ever 
         
            in Liberty County when it raided a multimillion-dollar 
         
            methamphetamine manufacturing lab located inside a Colony Ridge 
         
            dwelling; other crimes that have occurred in the area include 
         
            murders, sexual assaults, and thefts; despite these issues, the 
         
            Liberty County Sheriff's Office has neglected to check immigration 
         
            status during routine stops; and
         
                          WHEREAS, Illegal immigration to Colony Ridge has led to 
         
            significant changes in the community's way of life; longtime 
         
            residents have reported disruptions such as excessive noise, 
         
            gunfire, and loud music; moreover, issues such as flooding, traffic 
         
            congestion, water pollution, and sewage problems have been 
         
            attributed to the rapid population growth; and
         
                          WHEREAS, The Cleveland Independent School District is 
         
            required to accept local students even if they are non-citizens, 
         
            and over the past four years, enrollment has increased from 6,584 to 
         
            12,400; the school district has worked to accommodate the influx of 
         
            students by building new schools and is reportedly hiring H-1B 
         
            beneficiaries to serve as foreign language teachers; and
         
                          WHEREAS, Illegal immigration to the Colony Ridge area has 
         
            negatively impacted the health, safety, and welfare of local 
         
            residents, and more must be done to prevent illegal immigrants from 
         
            settling in Texas communities; now, therefore, be it
         
                          RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas, 
         
            3rd Called Session, hereby call for the thorough investigation of 
         
            the Colony Ridge development in Liberty County and express support 
         
            for legislation that prohibits illegal immigrants from purchasing 
         
            land in communities across Texas.



	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, Numerous properties in the Colony Ridge development
	of Liberty County have been sold to illegal immigrants, resulting
	in a national security concern that threatens the safety and
	quality of life in local communities; and
	WHEREAS, Mortgage lenders are able to offer non-citizens
	specialized loans that use individual tax identification numbers
	instead of social security numbers; Colony Ridge Land, LLC, which
	does business as Terrenos Houston, has sold land to customers using
	ITIN loans, and its development's population has grown to include
	an estimated 50,000 to 75,000 residents, many of whom are in the
	country illegally; in addition, advertisements for Colony Ridge
	properties have been published in Spanish through international
	communication channels; and
	WHEREAS, Colony Ridge and the surrounding area lack
	sufficient law enforcement presence; this has attracted illegal
	immigrants as well as cartel activity, and the Gulf and Sinaloa
	cartels have reportedly purchased land in the development for safe
	houses, which are used to smuggle drugs and people into the United
	States; in addition, there is evidence of cartel involvement from
	early in the development's history, and in 2021, the Drug
	Enforcement Administration carried out the largest drug bust ever
	in Liberty County when it raided a multimillion-dollar
	methamphetamine manufacturing lab located inside a Colony Ridge
	dwelling; other crimes that have occurred in the area include
	murders, sexual assaults, and thefts; despite these issues, the
	Liberty County Sheriff's Office has neglected to check immigration
	status during routine stops; and
	WHEREAS, Illegal immigration to Colony Ridge has led to
	significant changes in the community's way of life; longtime
	residents have reported disruptions such as excessive noise,
	gunfire, and loud music; moreover, issues such as flooding, traffic
	congestion, water pollution, and sewage problems have been
	attributed to the rapid population growth; and
	WHEREAS, The Cleveland Independent School District is
	required to accept local students even if they are non-citizens,
	and over the past four years, enrollment has increased from 6,584 to
	12,400; the school district has worked to accommodate the influx of
	students by building new schools and is reportedly hiring H-1B
	beneficiaries to serve as foreign language teachers; and
	WHEREAS, Illegal immigration to the Colony Ridge area has
	negatively impacted the health, safety, and welfare of local
	residents, and more must be done to prevent illegal immigrants from
	settling in Texas communities; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas,
	3rd Called Session, hereby call for the thorough investigation of
	the Colony Ridge development in Liberty County and express support
	for legislation that prohibits illegal immigrants from purchasing
	land in communities across Texas.