Newsmakers Feb. 26: Leaders discuss impact of immigrants in Houston

An estimated 500,000 undocumented immigrants live and work in the Houston region. 

Dr. Stephen Klineberg, founding director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, has studied Houston demographics for more than 35 years and says Houston has grown into the fourth largest city in the United States because of legal and illegal immigration.

"The reason there are half a million illegal immigrants in Harris County Texas,” Klineberg says, “is because for 30 years we have not allowed enough immigrants to come here legally to do the jobs that this economy desperately needs to have done by people who desperately needed to do them.”

Klineberg shares eye-opening statistics about how Houstonians feel about their undocumented neighbors, the impact of deportations on the entire community and the challenge of having laws made that actually reflect the will of the people.

Political Advice for the success of President Trump 

Gary Polland, former Harris County GOP chair, says current Harris County GOP Chairman Paul Simpson must go if county Republicans hope to regain political control.

Polland, editor of the Texas Conservative Review tells Khambrel Marshall the important work is to build a party that reflects the community.

“There are plenty of outstanding conservative African Americans, Hispanics and Asians who would like to run as Republicans,” he said. “If given the opportunity, and we need to support them, we need to help get them into office and I think voters will support them.” Polland  also weighs in on what President Trump will need to do to make sure his administration is a success.

Original Fake News leads to Slocum Massacre of African Americans

It was called the Slocum Massacre. It took place in Slocum, Texas, in 1910 and resulted in African Americans being hunted down and killed. Some of the whites responsible for the killings were arrested and charged but never tried.

The Slocum Massacre is the black history story being told by Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel. Daniel annually focuses on one story of historical significance to Harris Count, and he says this one is particularly disturbing.

"People were responding to fake news and becoming paranoid by fake news,” he said. “Because of this paranoia that occurred by normal people. These were not KKK members. These were normal people. They became so paranoid that they allowed themselves to become involved in this horrible, horrible massacre.” 

Find out the details on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and also on Houston Newsmaker Extra: Slocum Texas Massacre: Killers of African-Americans go unpunished

Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall, every Sunday at 10 a.m. right after "Meet the Press" on KPRC Channel 2.

More Information:

• Stephen Klineberg, Ph.D., founding director, Kinder Institute for Urban Research,  713-348-4132 , www.KinderRice.edu  @RiceKinderinst

• Gary Polland, editor Texas Conservative Review, 713-621-6335 www.Texasconservativereview.com

• Chris Daniel, Harris County District Clerk, 713-755-7300 www.hcdistrictclerk.com