Hispanic Democrat Rep tried to fight Republican in Texas House Chamber, Republican threatens to shoot him in the head

AUSTIN — A shoving match and war of words nearly turned into a fistfight on the Texas House floor Monday, the final day of a bitterly contentious 140-day legislative session.



"This session has been very, very difficult," said Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin. "There are enough of us here who remember a time in Texas when respect and decorum ruled the day."



Those rules flew out the House door when a group of protesters crashed the chamber's gallery Monday, chanting opposition to the so-called sanctuary cities ban. Legislators approved a bill this year that would force local governments to enforce federal immigration laws, what opponents call a show-me-your-papers law.



As they protested, Latino Reps. Ramon Romero and Cesar Blanco, both Democrats, waved to the noisy crowd. Republican Matt Rinaldi of Irving, a fervent supporter of the anti-immigration legislation, approached the Latino Democrats. They said Rinaldi told them he had called U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to report the protesters, who were largely Hispanic.



The Democrats were enraged. A shoving match ensued, and lawmakers accused one another of making violent threats. Rinaldi said a Democrat eventually threatened to "come get" him. Rep. Justin Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, who didn't witness the initial altercation, said he later heard Rinaldi say, "I'll put a bullet in your head," to the Democrat he alleged was menacing.



"He's a broken person, and I hope his community back home realizes that," Rodriguez said later during a news conference.



In a prepared statement, Rinaldi said he called ICE officials to report the protesters who held signs that declared they were unauthorized immigrants. The protesters became so noisy that security officials escorted many of them from the House gallery. Rinaldi said that he rebuked his colleagues for "inciting" the protesters, "which are illegal," and that the House members threatened him physically.