Houston's mayor pleads with immigrants worried about 'show me your papers' law to call for rescue

The mayor of Houston doesn’t want people who need to be rescued fearing deportation after Hurricane Harvey pummeled his city.

At a press conference Monday, Mayor Sylvester Turner made bold statements about deportation concerns amid relief and rescue efforts. In no uncertain terms, he assured his city that anyone who needs rescuing and support can call for help -- no matter their immigration status.

He said worries about SB 4, derided as the "show me your papers" law, that's going into effect next month should be shelved.

"If you're in a stressful situation and you need help, you call us for help. We want you to call. There is absolutely no reason why anyone should not call," he said.

He added that if anyone gets deported after calling for help, "I and others will be the first ones to stand up with you. I will represent them myself."

Under the law, police departments wouldn’t be able to ban their officers from asking someone who’s been detained about their immigration status. It would also force jails to comply with all Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requests.

Several cities — including Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin — have joined a lawsuit claiming that SB 4 violates the Constitution.

"Put SB 4 on a shelf right now," he said. "Don't hesitate to call. We will respond."

He continued to reiterate his message, clearly stating, "If you're in a stressful situation, I don't care who you are, what your status is, I do not want you to run the risk of losing your life or a family member because you are concerned about SB 4."

Safety over politics.