Texas AG adds El Paso County and Sheriff to lawsuit

The Texas Attorney General added the El Paso County and Sheriff Richard Wiles to lawsuit claiming practices and policies ignore federal immigration laws.

Attorney General Ken Paxton claims the county and the county sheriff will continue its’ policies even after Senate Bill 4 goes into affect.

In the lawsuit, Paxton said the County does not honor ICE detainers. This is something Escobar said is bogus.

“False. It’s part of their strategy to try to cast a wide net, and I think it’s part of their strategy to try and intimidate El Paso,” Escobar said. “We’re going to go forward with our legal strategy. We’ve got great counsel, we’ve got a plan and we’re going to move forward.”

Escobar said she thinks the reason the County was added to the lawsuit was because the State’s lawsuit will be heard in Austin. The County’s lawsuit was filed in San Antonio.

Senate Bill 4 is slated to go in effect September 1st. The law requires local officials to hold arrested people at the request of federal immigration officers. It also establishes criminal penalties for anyone who violates it.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott asserts the law will hold up in court.