I am right here. You can be right here, congresswoman. Mayor. Hi. Thank you. Nice to meet you. Okay. There we go. Sixhour technical difficulties. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for being here afternoon. I am a National Political reporter forrt politico. I am thrilled to be here in austin with you. At the Texas Tribune festival. We will have a great discussion this afternoon on border politics immigration and the 2020 president ial election. Love to welcome our panelists. Right here next to me is congresswoman sylvia garcia. A freshman democrat from texas. Mustve her district is eastern houston. Next we have the mayor of san antonio. On a maria coexecutive director of the center for popular democracy based in new york city. For those of you joining fee of the live stream, you can also follow the conversation on twitter using the. Immigrants about lawmakers of color and have frequently use the term invasion. When describing them what is going on at the border. How has the targeting of latinos , impacted your community at all. There is no question that el paso has been ground zero for a lot of the cruel and inhumane policies at the border. Obviously, my colleagues, my sister who was with me, elected to to congress being the first to latinos from texas, we are close friends. I seen her go through a lot this year. First with theorder issues and the families. With this administration, it just just never stops. It just works every single day. When you find out that this man drive six hours to go hunting for mexicans, i mean, just think about that. Someone would actually go and target a community and gets to go out. It is just the worst inhumane thing ive ever heard of. I think it is part impartial of a climate and rhetoric that this esident comes with from the white house. They put together some of his words and his rhetoric. Beginning from the Campaign Together with what is a manifesto. The administration has allowed the kind of rhetoric in some cases encouraged it. When he says at a rally, if we cant keep them out, what should we do. One in the crowd says shoot him. Yout know. He just kept going. He did not say no, we cant cant do that. This is america. When you have Something Like that, it just gets worse. It is a tragedy. I know el paso is strong. We didow a hearing there a coupe weeks ago. We met with a lot of people there in el paso. They are going through a lot. Going through a lot just like so many other communities across the country that have been victimized by matt shooters. That is what makes this one different. It was a targeted against immigrants and latinos. I cannot even say enough about it. Has this Political Climate for targeting created high interfere in your community . How is that manifesting there . Yes. Thank youme again for having men the panel. There has been an incredible amount of frustration aired about lack of action on matters of immigration. Certainly how we deal with violence in general in our communities. I would say it has been galvanizing in many ways to the conversations about ending gun violence in our community to the point where you are seeing local governments now take action to urge their counterparts at the state and federal level to go beyond what they have done in recent memory on issues of gun violence. The conversation now about the direct line that you can draw between the rhetoric and the highest office of this country to the premeditated murders you have seen in el paso has been too hard for people to ignore any longer. Its becoming part of the conversation about how we move forward on a number of these issues. I would like to hear your perspective of the nonelective on whether or not you are seeing latinos or other demographic groups react by taking Political Action in response to tragedies like el paso or other issues. First i want to start by saying im not surprised that we are seeinge violence that is by hateful rhetoric coming out of the administration the fact is President Trump made from day one of his campaign antiimmigrant rhetoric the centerpiece of his political program. Not just by talking about building the wall, but by saying there is an invasion. Using the language that is extremely powerful to get a few are in people. Talking about invasion. And qualifying the people that are in this country. Latinos in this country and people arriving at the borders as criminal, as animals, as rapists is both language that serves to dehumanize people and enable them the advancement of qualities that are dehumanizing like the separation of families at the border. Also, language that is really kind of a perfect dog whistle. It evokes some of the core sentiment that have justified racial violence in these countries against blackry peopl. When trump says the people in the caravan are mostly men, brown, dangerous rapists, what he is saying is they are coming for our women and we must protect our women. Therefore, it is okay to n say no this is america. We dont shoot people who are different. Telegraphing language that eat folks the reasons that were used in our country. For decades. For hundreds of years. It is a very intentional appeal to a core, kind of a centerpiece to american politics that has, you know, justified and entrenched the racism that we have here. What we have in our political system. Every time that my community is under attack, react with both a combination of fear and Urgent Initiative to protect each other people under attack under trump are both trying to overcome the terrible fears that we do feel i being targeted and by trying to mix each other up i saying things like what dreamers have been saying over the last few years. I am undocumented. I am unapologetic. This places my home. We could have policies that dehumanize. Have thehe ability to remain in our dignity. That belongs to us. Despite the fear that you say the community or latinos are feeling, you are more becoming politically act this, more saying they will vote despite the fact that they feel attacked based on incidents like el paso based on rhetoric coming out of the white house. We will have elections. We had elections in november. We saw the level of participation of youngnd people, communities of color in the way in which those people ushered in a new congress. The most female congress. Very progressive. We are seeing some demonstrations of that. Action is not just boating. It showing up to rally. Under the trump administration. Latinos end up, everyone in this country who feels repulsed by the separation of families and by the deaths of people at the borders show up to massive demonstrations because we are exposed now to the ugliness and Immigration Enforcement systems. People are not able to ignore it anymore. Not just people that are under attack that note the brutality of it, everyone that has seen the images of children crying because they were separated from their families. They have heard the cries of those children. We cannot really ignore this. We have to show up. I think that she has absolutely right. We have seen an increase of people attending rallies. I remember one that we did for the dream act. A number of other issues. We were in the middle of the heap at noon in houston. It was massive amounts of people we went to one where we were doing a rally against the opening of a Detention Center. In the rain we marched. If it ever snows in houston, we will march in the snow. The reality is, people are upset in some way, it has helped us organize. The fear is still there. Just a little bit more tightened than the of deportation. This is the the fear of life. Being a target is a different reality. I think that it will help us get people energized. Organized. To register to vote. Because, quite frankly, if you want tot get even, this will be your next shot at the next election. We are telling everyone to get involved. Whether it is your Group OrganizingHousing Assistance or organizing against utility increases or high drug prices, whatever it is, there is a way for allwe of us to get even. Should go out there and do it talking about the next election, the immigration plan specifically that we come out of the democratic candidates, seeking the the nomination to take on trump, a number of the candidates including Ernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have followed the lead of castro and falling for the decriminalization of Border Crossing under section 1325. Just to be clear, this would not create open borders. There are additional laws on the books that would allow to prosecute undocumented immigrants. I want to ask you, congresswoman, do you support that proposal . Would likeu to ask all of you to answer that. People forget that Immigration Law is really civil. The criminalization and what has been done to criminalize immigration, but also militarize the border is just shameful. I amm not suggesting that we ned to do away with everything, but we really need to get a white board and put everything that is good about what is happening. The third column should say what would we like to see. I think it needs to be reshaped and redone. Which is why is support abolishing. What it is doing today is not what it was intended to do. Crueler with the policies in place. That is why we have to do so much to make sure that the person the white house changes, because hopefully the policies will change. Do you support that proposal as well . I do. This conversation has been moved specifically for this issue about whether it should be a criminal offense or civil offense. Most people would agree it would be a sad day in america. Its a crime to look for a job. That is essentially what is happening at the border. You have people fleeing violence. Fleeing economic hardship. Looking for a better life for f their families. Become the cause of our federal trial courts. For years, the judicial system at least had expression. Now you are seeing the mandates that treat all crossings as criminal offenses. You are seeing a breakdown of the very immigration system that was atin least somehow moving people into illegal asylum process as well. Making Border Crossing a criminal offense is that it has to be punished by the criminal justice system. When we treat it as a civil offense, people arecr still crossing the border. It is still not legal, but they will not languish in jail for who knows how long. Without access to their families. The criminalization of Border Crossing has made it possible for trump to institute the qualities that provoke such a powerful redaction in the country which was the separation of families. You cannot put children in jail for the enforcement of criminal law. I am so thankful for the leadership that has been demonstrated. For a long time, democrats have ran away from talking about immigration at the federal level especially in president ial elections. By running away they have conceded a lot that allowed the others to to find the debate. Defined the vision. It has really helped, in many ways, kind of speaking from the movement that precedes these elections. Incredible demonstrations that we saw. The leadership of people. We support abolishing arising and we believe in the immigration system. Kind of voicing that in shaping the debate weird finally allowing democrats who are running for president to thactually speak to a vision tht is more humane and about a country. A bit of a disconnect between sometimes the movement and the base andnd the elected official. You all agree with castro on that proposal. The current front runner joe biden disagrees. He does not support that. Former obama secretary jeh johnson disagrees wither him. He warned in an oped after this became a big talking point for castro that decriminalization would give an easy attack line to thet gop. President trump and his campaign a party attack based on the open borders. The question that i have is, is there a danger there come election time or is it this time the correct way for you guys to go againstst conventional wisdom and talk about immigration. I think when we start wearing about taglines instead of doing the right thing, you are in the wrong business. We hold our hand on the bible and say we are going to do for this country and when we do that, we mean everybody. You have to remember that they have committed no crime. A lot of people come over and they have the wrong documentation. They come over with the right visa and overstay. More people that come through the airports then there are coming through the southern border. The reality is, we should be calling criminals in the first place. The aliens are the green people that we read about in the comic strip. To me, we should not it away from it. We should embrace it. That is part of who we are as a Party Standing for all americans and justice for all. When we say all, it should be all. That includes includes people that come across the border. I think the danger is in being dishonest about the impact of immigration on the United States and the United States economy. The contributions that people that are coming over the border have made to our communities, but also the national economy. We have a labor shortage in the United States right now. We fail to recognize at the highest level, the impact that immigrants are contributing to economies at the state and local federal level. Use ther conversation about criminal penalty versus civil penalty as a proxy for solving immigration. There are other solutions that we need to be looking towards for a comprehensive package that would solve these issues. Things like we need to get serious and when will we get serious about a pathway to citizenship for people that are already here or undocumented. The solutions that have been offered by this administration have been without a sense towards those kinds of conversation. A number of the leading candidates, sanders and biden have not released immigration plans yet. Theyim could potentially be onef those fuels that could be facing trump who wants to make 2020 very much about immigration. Very much about the border. Building a border wall was one of the Signature Campaign proposals. Is that a problem . Is that a mistake by those candidates to not be enforcing it isfo early or do they have enough time . It is a problem. It begs the question of why not. Why not. They aref put out plans on othr really important issues in our country. If they are going to face a president that has made immigration one of his core issues. Kind of centerpiece of his political program. Howar are they going to respondo that if they dont have a plan and they dont do the work to socialized their plan and get people to understand, get people to own with them. That is the danger. I am not surprised that biden is saying, what they were saying. The Obama Policies were fine. They work with obama. Obama was the supporter and chief. The truth is, for immigrants, obama only mostly deliver the enforcement part of the comprehensive immigration program. After eight years, seven years of a lot of pressure. The Supreme Court prevented that from happening. I believe there were more deportations under obama than any previous president. I do think that he did do some. The Vice President favors the dream act. He has against the separation of children. Heas also been really good about reinstating. There is a lot more that he could do. And saying we need to agency. T an enforcement is, bide isnting till using the old framework that was different. That framework, those policies more the way for enforcement, expanded the they expanded the enforcement system in a way that has been harmful to people and didnt present a different vision. If we dont have a different vision we cannot expect to have a different immigration system. We have both biden and sanders have to put out a plan. Sanders has said things like we will do a moratorium on deportations and has said things like we need to use our resources differently like inhumane enforcement at the border and in other ways but is not put out a plan but is put into a different vision and the truth is that for people that are organizing and building a movement that will have an electoral expression and the lack of a plan is not like we dont see it but it sends a message to us that it needs to be addressed. We have stated the aid that weve given to the triangle country. That was one of the most mistakes that we have done. Its bringing more people across the border then invest in their infrastructure and economic. Evelopment attacking northern right, i know that those who favor doing that [inaudible] it is about the workforce and about the dollars to this state in the economy and a lot of the southwest but shutting down the Mexican Border and the tariffs and taxes business but like what, you cant do that . Thats right. Is there any candidate in particular that is standing out to you, any leading candidate . I know castro has pushed this conversation but is still in the Single Digits and pulling and is there any candidate they need up to you on immigration . I will be perfectly candid. I have not really ive been so busy between the judiciary and challenges we have their and some of the work were doing with Financial Services with our oversight work on the trump finances and went to [inaudible] and it doesnt get talked about enough. It just doesnt. I dont know what it is. Vice President Biden said i had a conversation with them when i visited houston but i dont know enough about some of the others and i know that Elizabeth Warren and Kemal A Harris both have talked about abolishing ice but beyond that do you plan on endorsing anyone . Probably not. I really am busy with other things right now. I couldnt tell. [laughter] it will only get busier when we get back. For me it is still too early. Ive got to be perfectly honest. I still see ernie as an independent who just uses a Democratic Party for his convenience to get the nomination so hes off my list. Say what you will about being tingle digits september 2019 and a lot could happen and castro has definitely moved the conversation forward at least within the Democratic Party to the point where it has become now leading conversation and the issue of immigration in particular solutions on innovation have been leading on th debate stage now for a few months. And several of the leading candidates have a job at this position so there is a role for this kind of debate and pushing of the envelope to make people be honest about what the current policies have produced and i employed him. Hes done a great jobap. Quebec. I want to turn a bit to more of the policies trump crackdown on the border that have dramatically affected migrants. As of september 14, 2000 have been sent back to mexico to await decisions on their asylum claims and more than 80000 families have been arrested at the border between october 2018 and august 2019. A political analysis found u. S. Border patrol arrests continued at three month drop in august with approximately 51000 migrants arrested. The slowdown of the border is something that trump is expected toto heavily campaign on and mak as a victory to check for himself heading into the election. Mayor, have we fixed the root cause . Anything that hes done has it displaced it or is it out of sight and out of mind and can you talk about the impact that those policies have had . Sure. I would say it has not solved the root cause in the slightest. Again, you have people come a families mostly with Young Children coming to the border and seeking refuge from violen violence, seeking Job Opportunities to help with the families back at home so to contribute to countries. When they get here they are detained and in some cases very inhumanely. Those numbers have started to slow down because there is a general fear that has developed within communities about what will happen when they reach the border. I will tell you the impact they had in communities like ours in san antonio starting in march even through today we have had hundreds migrants and mostly families literally dropped off in the center of san antonio with the community having to figure out what to do. In march we opened an old abandoned storefront which had to be next to the bus station as a Processing Center for migrants who were coming over and we gathered up volunteers from all over the community, the businesses, faithbased committees, san antonio food bank, interface welcome paul and faced a constellation of wellmeaning citizens who wanted to do something to help and so that we can be compassionate as a country figures out a way through this crisis. We havent really counted the number of man hours but i can tell you we processed 32000 plus asylumseekers and weve gave them almost 100,000 meals and we have provided a place to stay for least the night for 22000 grants and we sought reimbursement for a portion of that. It continues, even to this day, the numbers have dropped off but a lot of our approach is we will not askto for your papers but ak you how we can help. Its easy to see the numbers have dropped off because the push by the administration to either immediately send migrants back to mexico or to have them wait there, is that yeah,er the criminalization f what is happening has certainly dropped the numbers and theres not a lot of transparency so i cannot give you a definite cause for this but the numbers have dropped off. Of course, we saw them drop off after previous inflow back in 2014 unaccompanied minors and so forth but we are ready and the numbers have dropped off but we been told to be ready at any time because those numbers could come back up again. You been told by the administration . We been told by everyone in the refugee space in the asylum space that we dont know what will happen andas be ready for when it does. I congressman, i know impeachment has dominated a lot of the headlines this last week and everything going on in the hill but also this past week there were reports ofge the administration wants to charge immigrant nearly 1000 to appeal their deportation cases that is up from 110 that they previously would have had to pay in the white house also announcedy the end of touch and release so requiring pretty much now require people to stay in mexico until the cases are heard. Expect to feel the impact of these in houston what is so far has it been like underground in your district . I can tell you anytime we feel it in the district. To remain in the program you have people, aunts, uncles, relatives that are in houston waiting for word. He word from anson uncles and what is happening 20s and to my grandchild so yes, everything that has happened we feel it especially district because we got 71, 77 latino population and about 30 is not citizen. We feel no matter what happens you can see a deportation down the street orhat you read about a deportation in los angeles. I think what this administration intends to do is everything they cants to instill fear into habit work as a deterrence. Thats what its about. Sending them backg to mexico i say no surprise there but its dditiourde for mexico and now of course, the concern is the lawyers can talk to the families and represent them in our concern about the conditions of the facilities in the tents in mexico so i dont want to see or replicate our effort to ensure that the people that are being held in mexico are treated with dignity just that we worry about hereig but theres so much going on. I have a bill to prohibit to them from shackling pregnant women think about that, ladies. I would have to a file bill to stop ice from shackling pregnant women. The fact that we have to do it is insane. Thats what they are doing. They are shackling pregnant women that they think are getting too, i guess, postpartum or some of the symptoms that women go through. Thats not the way to handle someone like that with medical needs. They shackledd an 18 yearold right after the Detention Center and he had committed no crime. He was 18 years old. There are silly things going on that is just horrifict every te we read a different report and theres already been to oig reports talked about the deplorable conditionsre, lack of hygiene and lack of medical needs, screening, you name it. People are treated very badly. Another announcement this week that i wantt to touch on is some of the policies have also been very focused on changing legal immigration. Specifically, this is about the refugee program. The Administration Says that it wants to the American Refugee Program by almost half. The white house saysst it will accept 18000 next year and that is down from the current 30000 and is a fraction of the 110,000 that the Obama Administration that they think should have been separate in 2016. Can you talk about the human impact of that and you work closely with immigration communities and what do you expect to come from that . People who are seeking asylum are escaping war for the most part. They are just trying to stay alive and find a place where they can have a vague measure of safety and survive. Trump is saying this is not that place. Dont look to us for a measure of safety when your country is at war. You know, we have an opportunity now to decide through the elections is this who we are and who we want to be and do you want to have her be a country where people can assign refuge from more or from natural disasters. It follows is very coherent with his rhetoric and with the policy program that he has been in aggressively implement the since the beginning and he started five days into seven days into his a administration trying to impose a ban on migration from muslim nations and the muslim them happen in january after he started in office and last here and try to rollback backup and the courts have protected people from the abuses and has tried to end pps and has tried to build a wall on the border and separated thousands of children from the families and is changingg the ways the people can come to these countries legally and all of that is added to a vision of the country that does not include us. It is a vision that we have the opportunity to reject forcefully next year and i hope and i believe the people in this country have both the ability to look to each other and find Common Ground see themselves in each others faces and i believe people understand that parents will make tremendous sacrifices for their children even if that means risking their own lives and crossing the Border Crossing the oceana to get to a place of safety. I hopeto, my hope is that people will listen to that ability to connect with each other and that shared experience that we have we allwe have and we love the people we love and we do whatever is necessary to keep them safe. I hope that people turn out next year thinking i want to build a country where all of us can act like that and we can be country where we can take carer of each other in moments of crisis whether it someone seeking refuge or whether someone having a crisis here. If you want to respond to that but also would ask you to think u. S. Has response ability to take in more refugees . I absolutely we need and have a responsibly. S you see the rest of the world contribute into what has become a global migrant crisis but to be running in meaningful ways. San antonio and many other for years had been receiving disproportionate share of refugees resettlement programs and was with a certain measure of pride that we did that and got very efficient working with tharities and center for Refugee Services and nonprofits that peopleelp integrate coming to our country who quite often had degrees and who had Technical Training and who would enter the workforce and contribute in significant ways to our communities. At its peak i believe its 110,000 maybe four or five years ago its been a scaled back immediately and the new and administration was cut in half and cut again and now is cut 18000 when you think about the values of america and its become tried to say we are a nation of immigrants and we are a city of immigrants and can you think of anything more unamerican than to tell a refugee who is seeking a better life in america to say you are not welcome and you cant come here. I thank you all and i want to open it up for a few questions from the audience and then after that we will get to other not texas can turn blue. If anyone has questions please stand up, raise your hand and we will get to you. Yes, all the way down there. One second. I believe shes bringing you a mike. Thank you for these interesting discussions. Im from germany and a recent university graduate. Can you hear me . Yeah, we can. I would be interested because i am here to research our sanctuary city policies and it seems like the cities are standing up and taking the action about immigration in their own hands and so speaking that is that the current government do you think that this is a political measure re the the edge offin aat governments actions against immigration or is it a bandaid on a wound that needs to be healed in another way . O would you address that specifically or whoever . I dont know, i would be interested in what the mayor and the congressman with a. Yeah, its around sanctuary citys is become a political football but the reality is we are not going to use local Government Resources to do the job the federal government cannot do. In doing so we have adopted a position that is reduced crime, improved quality of life and help integrate immigrants to our community quite well for number of years. Ive never seen the definition of sanctuary cities andni they are doing like the mayor suggested and it welcomes people and does not racially profile of city and doesnt put ice in the jail or ice officers are there together with the Sheriffs Department working together and making Police Officers ice agents. Its a city who believes in dignity and respect and the values of this country. We have a lotve actuary cities. The reality is we do the right thing but the cities will provide an and are hardened by the fact that the mayor and other mayors around the state its been pressured to do anything different because by and large im a person of faith and i do believe were all gods children and i do believe we should not we should welcome people and not build walls. Another question. Right there. I hope you can hear me with this bandanna. I just came from dubai and i was there for almost three years so i get the immigrant thing. [inaudible] my one question is do we have asylum for people because there are some people who are stuck here and would gladly go home. Number two, i did have a comment. As far as the Africanamerican Community and im not a voice for the africanamerican anmmunity but i have a lot of people from all demographics and nationalities but i think africanamerican the more immigrants to get behind this border issue for some time but they come over here and they treat africanamericans and other minorities so bad and the comments they say like that imported racismts so i think tht we have to address that too because there was a time in dubai where it was called being a nice visit. You know, you cant come even if you are coming to work. I think we should have open borders but you have to come and treat all the american citizens and a lot of other people have made it harder for people. Thank you. To would you like to address the found question . I couldnt understand. Im sorry could you repeat your first question about asyl asylum. Is there a possibility that they will offer asylum because theres so many peoplepo trafficking and other people trying to get out of america and go back home or to a safer place so do you an is anyone advocating for asylum to get themselves for people to go home . Other than america . Yes, yes. The problem is what we tried to come to mexico and if they were to get on a plane and land somewhere it would not be subjected to that were told to go back. Beo that is meant for the southern border and again there is nothing about that for people to come to the airports or by ship or the Canadian Border so yes, the asylumseekers can still come through our country and are being processed but the bigger challenges theres a log jamming and not enough caseworkers and judges and the process has been slow down and there seems to be a new look at the funding for the border wall hes taken h2. 6 billion from the military and they think mexico will pay for it but its military dollars and its also taking dollars from department of Homeland Security and reprogram them and that hurts everybody in the services. The Asylum Seekers can still calm but its taken a long time to get to the process. Some money was taken from san antonio. Yeah, and some were taken from fema. Thats right. Fema was the hundred 60 million. There were 127 military products that were reduced because of the border wall and these are essential in the structure projects within defense installations that are now being scuttled f who knows how long and it could be forever because an attempt to build the wall of the border. To have additional questions . [inaudible question] im curious how you feel of what level of government in border issues and immigration. The city level, statelevel or federal . On ive always thought it when i was a state senator i thought texas was spending too much on the Border Security that the Lieutenant Governor and governor focused on but those of you who dont know the state budget is probably 50 million more or less and [inaudible] that is also what the government is doing. I dont know how many layers we need [inaudible] [inaudible] do you feel more effective now is a member of Congress Versus when you are in the state legislator . Remember, weve already had agreements on this act and weve had a bill that the standard for medical at the Detention Centers and we have a bill just this week on creating an investment position for a complaint and we also passed a bill for medical record keeping. These are all good things, right . We need them but theyre sitting on mcconnells desk in the senate. [inaudible conversations] we are getting things done however im not a u. S. Senator we need to talk to cornyn and cruz. I want to get to what i would just say is weve become at the local level quite sufficient at surviving humanitarian relief. E humanitarian solutions for the prolific amount of problems at the state and federal level. For usol. Av [applause] they should get reimbursed. We sent an invoice affect. On the federal policy is who gets the country only the federal government can decide and city and states it can make peoples life better in the city of san antonio was proving the case government to communicate in different languages going to City Government agencies and make sure the schools, Public Schools have prepared for children who are migrating and that were themselves and their lots and lots of things so they will grant licenses to people that have different immigration statuses in many states have decided that the tuition can be available to undocumented youth. Theres a whole wide spectrum that cities and states can do in signal for people that this is their home and they are welcome here and that they dont need to be invisible that they are part of the fabric and a welcome part of our society. Since we dont have much time left i do want to get tobl texae itself because democrats have long fantasized about changing texas to be democratic statewidn and it hasnt happened and federal work came came close to out seeing senatoredru d triple c is targeting more house seats are trying to do a bit of what they did help in texas this time. As is it realistic . I dont think its a fantasy. I dont think it will happen this next november but i think the following cycle and i sit on the Agreement Committee and i tell you that we are doing a lot of work here in texas in terms of getting more members to congress and the seats were looking at have a good chance including [inaudible] the texas house is ten or 12 so i think theres a lot of effort we have finally gotten the attention of the National Fundraising dollars and i think it will be doable. Not this time but next time. President ial 2020. There is a remote possibility. Trump is really doing a lot of damage to the Republican Party even here in texas. If people get out there and as i said earlier you want to getet even organize, dont agonize, get out there register voters ,nd make sure they vote o organize, organize, organize. We can do it smack mayor, do you agree that texas is in play o or so, i dont know the answer to the question in terms of the cycle but i would say inarguable is it has become more competitive and that they good thing. Isthe number of republicans who have left because they believe or have said that the Republican Party is left of them should be a cause of concern to the Republican Party. Again, i think that what is very evident is that many more districts that become competitive and that should be the goal that we all have it, will begin or democrat, that we have a robust turnout and robust civic r discretion around ideas and maybe become competitive districts. Have received participation changing and has the organization changed and trump is spending a large amount of dollars on digital ads in texas already thissp cycle. Democrats tend to be outplayed on those fronts so do you think that they are doing enough to address that hitting into 2020 . As someone who works for a National Organization of Community Organizers we are looking for texas to learn from you because Community Organizations here that are very tragic about turning texas blue by building longterm engagement of blackberry communitiesan and starting in urban areas and longterm plan that they have been implanting in a very disciplined way to make sure that every cycleay is used as an opportunity to get latinos and africanamerican folks and other communities g to feel like democracy works for them. Theyre not just talking about tcandidates on the table but te issues that people care about and engaging over the course of the year and that program has actually increased the electoral participation a black and brown soec in major urban areas in tes and has really committed to the shift. When the country was looking at texas last time that nato did not make it i know the organizations here were saying actually we did a really good job turning out like these election showed that our communities are re engaging with democracy and believing it is possible to make it deliverable for us. We are looking to texas to lea learn. Ng enqueue everyone but that is all the time we have. Thank you, congressman, mayor, anna maria and thank you to the audience here. Those watching thank you for watching. We will take a short break but at 4 30 our last conversation of the day is on agriculture and the modern world. Please come back. Thank you so much. [inaudible conversations] , what. Weeknights this week featuring but to be programs assisting what is available every begin on cspan too. Tonight the theme is the left and the right. Journalist authors are thought a new assimilation policy. Shes interviewed by representative again representative chip roy. Senator jeff murphy provides the best hand account for migrant families at the u. S. Of the border. Former utah public and congressman jason chase is argue that liberals are trying to undermine the truck presently. Watch tonight beginning at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan2 and enjoy book tv this week and every weekend on the spin too. Sunday on q a, the Smithsonian Institute on the history of tariffs and managing the u. S. Economy. This up in court eventually ruled a tomato is a vegetable and not a fruit because of a tariffs. It seemed to me as an odd story and any botanist would tell you a tomato is a fruit but in fact, the 1883 tariffs for the tariff on vegetables and not fruit and so in importer of the vegetables in new york pointed out that the tomatoes he was bringing in from the caribbean were fruit and did not have to pay a tariffs. The battle went on for quite some time and eventually the Supreme Court ruled that tomatoes are vegetables and it was an interesting ruling in that it had repercussions just beyond tomatoes. Sunday night at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspans q a. Coming up, the conversation on the future of the agriculture industry. We hear from former agriculture secretary and iowa governor, tom bill back. The Texas Tribune festival is in austin and this is just over one hour. Welcome everyone. It is warm. You are here. Thank you. My name is paulina and im a senior food and agricultural reporter at politico