The Texas Senate Tuesday night, on a strict party line vote, approved that bill that outlaws not only 'Sanctuary Cities,' but 'Sanctuary Counties' and 'Sanctuary College Campuses,' prohibiting them from receiving state funding, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"All S.B. 4 is saying it, when you have a crime committed by an undocumented person, that we don't let the discretion of the body or the person in charge of that city or county make the decision to release," said State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) who is the sponsor of the bill.
The vote was 20-11, with all 20 Republicans voting for it, and all 11 Democrats voting no.
It now goes to the House, where its future is uncertain in a chamber which is more focused on basic issues than 'hot button' topics like sanctuary cities, or which bathroom people should use.
Democrats like State Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) questioned whether the bill is even legal.
"As an attorney and former judge, I am very concerned about our state sanctioning a bill that will encourage the illegal incarceration," Garcia said.
The bill allows the state to withhold funding, contracts, and concessions to any city, county, or college which does not fully cooperate with immigration officials in apprehending people in the U.S. illegally, and holding people who are currently incarcerated for other offenses if immigration authorities request.
It also allows relatives of people who are victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants to file civil lawsuits against local or college officials who failed to turn the illegals over to federal authorities.
"As Governor, I will not tolerate sanctuary city policies that put the citizens of Texas at risk," Gov. Greg Abbott said. "Today's action in the Senate helps ensure that Sheriffs and officials across Texas comply with federal immigration laws and honor Immigration and Custom Enforcement detainer requests that keep dangerous criminals off our streets.
"Many police agencies testified against the bill, saying it would damage their ability to police communities with a large number of immigrants, because people would be less likely to report crimes and come forward as witnesses to crimes, out of fear that they would be deported.
The bill also raises questions about what exactly is a 'Sanctuary City,' and concerns that the measures called for in the state's Sanctuary City law are not required by federal or state statute.
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