88S30451 KSM-F
By: Oliverson H.C.R. No. 1
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Numerous properties in the Colony Ridge development
of Liberty County have been sold to illegal immigrants, resulting
in a national security concern that threatens the safety and
quality of life in local communities; and
WHEREAS, Mortgage lenders are able to offer non-citizens
specialized loans that use individual tax identification numbers
instead of social security numbers; Colony Ridge Land, LLC, which
does business as Terrenos Houston, has sold land to customers using
ITIN loans, and its development's population has grown to include
an estimated 50,000 to 75,000 residents, many of whom are in the
country illegally; in addition, advertisements for Colony Ridge
properties have been published in Spanish through international
communication channels; and
WHEREAS, Colony Ridge and the surrounding area lack
sufficient law enforcement presence; this has attracted illegal
immigrants as well as cartel activity, and the Gulf and Sinaloa
cartels have reportedly purchased land in the development for safe
houses, which are used to smuggle drugs and people into the United
States; in addition, there is evidence of cartel involvement from
early in the development's history, and in 2021, the Drug
Enforcement Administration carried out the largest drug bust ever
in Liberty County when it raided a multimillion-dollar
methamphetamine manufacturing lab located inside a Colony Ridge
dwelling; other crimes that have occurred in the area include
murders, sexual assaults, and thefts; despite these issues, the
Liberty County Sheriff's Office has neglected to check immigration
status during routine stops; and
WHEREAS, Illegal immigration to Colony Ridge has led to
significant changes in the community's way of life; longtime
residents have reported disruptions such as excessive noise,
gunfire, and loud music; moreover, issues such as flooding, traffic
congestion, water pollution, and sewage problems have been
attributed to the rapid population growth; and
WHEREAS, The Cleveland Independent School District is
required to accept local students even if they are non-citizens,
and over the past four years, enrollment has increased from 6,584 to
12,400; the school district has worked to accommodate the influx of
students by building new schools and is reportedly hiring H-1B
beneficiaries to serve as foreign language teachers; and
WHEREAS, Illegal immigration to the Colony Ridge area has
negatively impacted the health, safety, and welfare of local
residents, and more must be done to prevent illegal immigrants from
settling in Texas communities; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas,
3rd Called Session, hereby call for the thorough investigation of
the Colony Ridge development in Liberty County and express support
for legislation that prohibits illegal immigrants from purchasing
land in communities across Texas.