Fewer Texans are reporting domestic violence, and police say the drop is a result of immigrant fears of deportation.
As The New York Times reports, many Texas women who are beaten or raped by their partners fail to report the crimes, choosing to go into hiding rather than appear in court and risk being separated from their children.
Last year, Houston saw a 16 percent decrease in domestic violence reports, and that phenomenon is repeated often across the state. Nationwide, cities with large Hispanic populations have reported drops in domestic violence and sexual assault, including Los Angeles and Denver.
But the situation is more dire in Texas, given the sweeping law passed last year that allows local police departments in Texas to question and turn over local detainees suspected of being in the country illegally. Local Texas officials can face jail time and a $25,000 fine for failing to honor “detainer” requests from the Trump administration.