Eddy Arias remembers the night he was pulled over by the Houston Texas police. It was first time he had ever interacted with law enforcement since he’d moved to the U.S. from Mexico as a child. He still remembers every moment. When Eddy realized he’d been racially profiled, he stood up for his Constitutional rights. But what happened next drew him into a much larger debate about police enforcing immigration laws. 

Houston is home to thousands of immigrant families. On paper, police don’t enforce immigration laws on the streets. There are policies against this. Yet several successive mayors have refused to call Houston a “sanctuary city” for immigrants. For many years, the Harris county jail in Houston has collaborated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (or ICE). That means if someone is arrested, they can ultimately be transferred to ICE for deportation. This is called a “287g” agreement.

Eddy Arias learned firsthand about the way it works. And he decided to do something about it. Thanks in part to his activism, Houston now has a new sheriff.

Production team:
Producer: <a href="http://aquifermedia.com" target="_blank">Will Coley</a>
Producer: <a href="https://linkedin.com/in/hightechaztec" target="_blank">Bryan Parras</a>
Series Editor: <a href="http://kalalea.com" target="_blank">Kalalea</a>
Audio Engineer: <a href="http://annepope.com" target="_blank">Anne Pope</a>
Composer: <a href="http://ingkavet.org" target="_blank">Andrew Ingkavet</a>

Episode 1: Land of the Free, But Only for Some

Indefensible is a podcast series brought to you by the Immigrant Defense Project. Over five episodes, we'll bring you stories from people who are standing up and holding out; fighting to be with their families. They say they’re here to stay.

Production team:
Producer: <a href="http://aquifermedia.com" target="_blank">Will Coley</a>
Producer: <a href="https://silentbeautyfilm.com" target="_blank">Jasmin Lopez</a>
Producer: <a href="https://linkedin.com/in/hightechaztec" target="_blank">Bryan Parras</a>
Series Editor: <a href="http://kalalea.com" target="_blank">Kalalea</a>
Audio Engineer: <a href="http://annepope.com" target="_blank">Anne Pope</a>
Composer: <a href="http://ingkavet.org" target="_blank">Andrew Ingkavet</a>

The Opportunity Agenda launched in 2006 with the mission of building the national will to expand opportunity in America. Focused on moving hearts, minds, and policy over time, the organization works with social justice groups, leaders, and movements to advance solutions that expand opportunity for everyone.

Through active partnerships, The Opportunity Agenda synthesizes and translates research on barriers to opportunity and corresponding solutions; uses communications and media to understand and influence public opinion; and identifies and advocates for policies that improve people’s lives. To achieve our mission, we focus on racial equity, immigration, economic opportunity, reproductive health and rights, and African-American men and boys.

We have it in our power as a nation to expand opportunity for all.  Doing so requires working to turn our beliefs and aspirations into public support for fundamental change.