Texas legislators passed a bipartisan bill that will require all county sheriffs who operate jails to cooperate with U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Both chambers approved the conference committee’s version of SB8 and passed the bill to Governor Greg Abbott for his signature.
Texas State Representative David Spiller (R-Jacksboro) told Breitbart Texas that the compromise bill (SB8) will mandate all Texas sheriffs who operate or contract out a county jail to enter into an agreement with ICE under a program commonly known as 287(g). The program provides training and access to immigration databases, enabling deputies to perform limited immigration law enforcement.
Spiller told Breitbart, “This is about public safety.” He called the bill the “most aggressive” immigration enforcement measure to come out of the Texas Legislature this session.
Three Texas Democrats joined with House Republicans to approve the conference vote by a vote of 89-52, Spiller said. The bill passed the Texas Senate on a vote of 20-11. The bill now moves to the desk of Governor Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign the legislation.
In a written statement published by the Texas Tribune, Governor Greg Abbott’s Deputy Press Secretary Eduardo Leal said, “Gov. Abbott has made it clear that cities and counties across Texas must fully cooperate with the federal government’s efforts to arrest, jail, and deport illegal immigrants. The Governor will review this legislation, as he does with any legislation sent to his desk that helps achieve that goal.”
Spiller said that one compromise in the final version changed the funding model from a grant and reimbursement model to a pure grant model. “Sheriffs will be able to apply for and obtain the funds up front,” so they can quickly move forward with compliance.
In a statement Sunday night, ACLU of Texas spokesperson Sarah Cruz said SB8 “will not make our communities safer.” She said it will force sheriffs to “do the work of ICE in support of the federal government’s shameful mass deportation efforts.”
State Senator Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) said the Texas Legislature “sent a powerful message: Our immigration laws will be enforced, and criminal illegal aliens causing great harm to our communities will be removed.”
Schwertner added that the bill gives sheriffs a choice in which of the three 287(g) models they want to participate in. He said it provides funding to cover costs not paid for or reimbursed by the federal government.
The Texas Tribune added:
ICE can authorize local authorities to carry out certain types of immigration enforcement in local jails, where officers can be deputized to question inmates about their immigration status and to serve administrative warrants.
In the field, ICE can authorize local officers to question people about their immigration status through a model the Trump administration has revived after it fell into disuse following allegations that it led to racial profiling.
SB 8 would require that sheriffs enter agreements for the program that authorizes local officers to serve administrative warrants, known as the “warrant service” model. But Texas sheriffs could also satisfy the bill’s requirement by participating in the other programs, too.
According to information obtained from the federal immigration agency, 85 Texas counties have signed some level of agreement with ICE as of May 23.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
