Gov. Abbott visits Sun City, greeted by protestors

Texas Governor Greg Abbott was the keynote speaker for the 30th annual Lincoln Day Dinner, but was met with opposition at the door.

Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the venue, Black Stone Ballroom, in central El Paso opposing the Senate Bill 4 (SB 4). “He is not welcomed in El Paso,” Fernando Garcia said. “His ideas are not welcomed in El Paso.”

SB4 is intended to punish sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

Garcia is executive director of Border Network for Human rights, an immigrant advocacy group.

“They want to transfer police and sheriffs into immigration agents.Obviously, this is going to break the trust between the community and law enforcement,” Garcia said.

Inside, it was a much different scene, many were excited to hear the governors thoughts on policies including a top priority, child protective services. Abbott spoke on reforming child protective services and the foster care system with the hopes of preventing anymore children from dying in the state of Texas through the system.

Abbott also spoke on harsher penalties for those who violently target law enforcement. “I want to increase the penalties and make it a hate crime for any criminal who tries to assault a peace officer in the state of Texas,” Abbott said.

Abbott’s press secretary told ABC-7 reporter Jerry Najera that the governor would speak on the SB4 bill, however he did not mention it in his speech.

Media was not allowed to ask the governor questions following his speech.