El Paso law enforcement reacts to immigration enforcement bill heading to governor’s desk

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles held a press conference Thursday morning to speak on Texas Senate Bill 4. Once signed, that legislation would give state and local law enforcement the authority to arrest migrants who have crossed into the country illegally.

It would also make illegally entering Texas from another country a state crime. It would also give state judges to the authority to order a person to return to the country they entered from.

The bill passed through the Texas House of Representatives on Tuesday, and will head to Governor Greg Abbott's desk this week. Abbott is expected to sign the bill into law.

Sheriff Wiles stated during his press conference that he does not expect his deputies and staff to be heavily impacted if and when the bill is signed by Governor Abbott.

"I don't see a change in the way we do business, the way our patrol officers do business when they encounter undocumented immigrants," Wiles said.

The biggest impact Wiles expects to see is on the county jail, since arrested migrants that face state charges will be booked into the county facility.