Texas bill requiring sheriffs to collaborate with ICE given initial approval by state House

The Texas House gave initial approval on Saturday to a bill that would require sheriffs to collaborate with U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement by serving federal immigration warrants at local jails Senate Bill received preliminary approval with an - vote in the lower chamber after GOP state Rep David Spiller a sponsor of the rule amended the bill so it applies to all counties rather than just counties with populations over as was the development in the original version according to FOX and The Texas Tribune This bill is not immigration overhaul Spiller announced Saturday This bill is the strongest confines protection bill indirectly that we could have this session ALLEGED HUMAN OPERATORS ARRESTED IN TEXAS AFTER HIDING INSIDE HOLLOWED HAY BALESThe measure necessities another House vote before it can return to the Senate where the upper chamber must agree to the changes or both chambers must straighten out their differences before the bill can be sent to Republican Gov Greg Abbott's desk Gov Abbott has made it clear that cities and counties across Texas must fully cooperate with the federal authorities efforts to arrest jail and deport illegal immigrants Abbott s Deputy Press Secretary Eduardo Leal announced in a comment to The Texas Tribune The Governor will review this act as he does with any statute sent to his desk that helps achieve that goal Under the bill sheriffs would be required to request partnerships with ICE known as g agreements The agreements allow ICE to authorize local agents to perform certain types of immigration enforcement in local jails including allowing local law enforcement to question inmates about their immigration status and serve administrative warrants Local officers could also be authorized by ICE to question people about their immigration status during routine police duties including DUI checkpoints through a model the Trump administration has revived after it stopped being used over accusations that it led to racial profiling The bill would also allow the Texas attorney general to sue sheriffs who do not adhere to the agreement Sheriffs would need to at least enter the warrant facility agreement They can choose to enter into other agreements to meet the requirement Additionally the proposal would offer grants to sheriffs to help offset the costs of participating that are not reimbursed by the federal administration TEXAS LAWMAKERS SEEK TO GET FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR BIDEN-ERA CONFINES CONTROL EXPENSESAs of Friday Texas law enforcement agencies had signed g agreements with ICE according to details published by ICE Another four sheriff s offices had pending agreements Roughly of the agreements in place between Texas law enforcement agencies and ICE were for the task force model which extends immigration leadership to officers performing routine police duties The bill filed by GOP state Sen Charles Schwertner could help the Trump administration s mass deportation plans but immigrants rights advocates say the requirement would lead to racial profiling of black and brown people and prompt fear among undocumented Texans who may be reluctant to overview a crime or seek help from functionaries who are collaborating with ICE according to The Texas Tribune