Several League City residents spoke before city council on Tuesday asking for revisions to be made to the resolution prohibiting the housing of undocumented children in its municipality.
That resolution was approved in July and more than a month later, it continues to stir debate among residents.
Much of the debate has been primarily split between two factions: supporters who believe it reinforces immigration control and others accusing council of instituting a racism policy.
But another group continues to voice their own opposition, saying it’s a matter of religious tolerance.
Members of the city’s Muslim community had spoken out during the July 7 meeting and on Tuesday, they spoke again - during the citizen’s request to speak segment of the meeting - reiterating their contention that a portion of the text disrespects and misrepresents their faith.
Those residents are referring to a clause in the resolution which states: “members of dangerous transnational criminal organization and radical Islamic terror groups continue to exploit the situation to infiltrate the United States for the purpose of establishing criminal activity, terror cells, and training operations within our homeland.”
That reference, they say, equates the Islam faith with terrorist groups and activities and could potentially promote intolerance toward members of the city’s Muslim community.
Although councilwoman Heidi Thiess, who authored the resolution, made a revision to the working by changing ‘Islamic’ to ‘Islamist’, many in the Muslim community say the inference within the text remains troubling to them.
One of those speaking was a resident who identified herself only as Ms. Mohammed, for fear, she said, of a ‘backlash’.
“It’s profiling,” she said. “I fear for my family and that I am a target. I pay my taxes and I feel I am a contributor to the society. I shall come to every meeting until you guys look at this. Are you going to put this on the agenda? I pray that you do. God watches all of us. I feel that if any Muslim in this community is harmed due to backlash, it is because of this (resolution). I’m just so disappointed. I love this city and I pray that you make the right choice and put this on the agenda and make this change in the resolution.”
The resolution was in response to the influx of migrant children coming to the U.S. from Central America. That issue, said Humaira Maqbool, should be separate from references to any faith.
“Out of nowhere, they put Islam in the resolution,” she said.
Maqbool told council that “it was a slap in face to all the Muslim community.”
The change from ‘Islamic’ to ‘Islamist’ is moot, she said.
“It doesn’t make any difference. Why is a religion placed in front of ‘terrorist’? That’s wrong. A terrorist is a terrorist for everybody, it shouldn’t be referenced as Islamist or Islamic or any religion,” Mqbool said.
Ahmad Alrashadie made the point that other counties have passed similar resolutions without using any reference to a religion.
After he spoke before council, Abdul Al-Sahli, a 36-year League City resident and business owner, said that although the resolution has been approved, he and others will continue to speak and hope that council will listen to their grievances and remove the reference to Islam.
“A change can happen,” he said. “We can only speak. We are not violent, we are respectful to the city and that’s why we come and talk. We live here, we respect it, we care; if we didn’t care, we would just back down and go.”
The resolution passed in a 6-2 vote with council members Joanna Dawson and Dennis Okeeffe opposing.
The city has so far stated no intentions to make further changes to the resolution’s text.