A growing number of Texas cities and counties are joining a lawsuit against the state over the so-called sanctuary city bill, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
First it was the tiny border town of El Cenizo. Then it was El Paso County. Last week, the city of Austin joined in. Rice University professor Mark Jones, fellow in political science at the Baker Institute, says if you split the law into two parts, the piece that involves officers asking people about their immigration status will likely stand.
"There is nothing in the legislation that requires police officers to ask," he tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI.
That's a big difference between Texas's law and Arizona's controversial SB 1070, which was struck down by the court. Arizona's law required officers to ask that question. Texas's law only forbids department from having a rule banning the practice.
But Jones says the second part of the law, which pertains to Homeland Security detainer requests, is on shaky ground.
"The lawsuit may have some success with the argument that, by honoring detainers, the state is requiring counties to violate inmate's constitutional rights," he explains.
Supporters of the law say it will crack down on illegal immigration. Jones says the suits are, largely, political posturing.