Like the Texas Association of Business, I believe Texas should not have adopted “show me your papers” legislation. Public safety is undermined, not enhanced, when minority communities fear cooperating with local authorities. For example, an immigrant family may choose not to report a fire at their apartment complex out of fear they will be deported as a result of stepping forward, putting property and even lives at risk.  An abused wife might decline to report spousal abuse out of fear she might be deported, separating her from her children, with the result that the family violence might increase and someone, including innocent children, might wind up seriously hurt or killed.  Out of concern for public safety and justice, I believe the state should defer to local authorities on how best to deal with their minority communities.