Texas Tribune by Julian Aguilar
The Texas House advanced their "Sanctuary Cities Lite" bill out of committee yesterday. Although less harsh than the Senate bill, it criminalizes heads of law enforcement agencies who do not cooperate with federal authorities, allows law enforcement to question arrestees about their immigration status, and includes college campuses in the enforcement requirements.
Cops shouldn’t be in the immigration-enforcement business:
“It still creates a chilling effect for immigrants to work with local law enforcement, and it still perverts the mission of local law enforcement,” said state Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas. “You can be arrested for anything, virtually. It doesn’t require due process, it simply requires probable cause.”
A costly special session is likely this summer if a bill fails to pass as Governor Abbott has identified the legislation as a priority.