Texas Senate starts push to ban “sanctuary cities”

Texas Republicans have begun their push to ban so-called “sanctuary cities,” an issue Gov. Greg Abbott has declared one of his “emergency” issues for the state.

The Republican-controlled state Senate held its first hearing on a bill Thursday. The meeting in the stately chamber was disrupted several times by demonstrators singing songs or directing jeers at Abbott, who didn’t attend.

The bill would deny state grant money to jurisdictions where police refuse federal requests to hand over immigrants already in custody for possible deportation.

According to the fiscal note for SB 4, El Paso would pay $130,000 for “additional arrests and processing requirements,” if the legislation passes.

El Paso Country reported the cost as having “no significant fiscal impact.”

The $130,000 is a far cry from the $14.6 million in direct federal and state grants El Paso County could stand to lose.

El Paso County Commissioner David Stout said the federal government is using money as leverage. “They’re definitely trying to bully local officials and local law enforcement into doing what they want us to do,”said Stout.

El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar told ABC 7 she, along with other El Pasoans, was at the SB4 meeting.

In her written testimony, she opposed the bill drafted from “500 miles away from El Paso” by lawmakers unfamiliar with the dynamic and citizens of the Borderland.

Escobar wrote El Pasoans will have to foot the $100 per bed and day bill for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Gov. Greg Abbott declared “sanctuary cities” an “emergency issues” at the State of The State Address Tuesday, in line with President Donald Trump’s nationwide crackdown.

Abbott wants the legislation pushed a step further. He is calling to remove locally elected officials who refuse to comply with the law, in order to “to protect Texans from deadly danger.”

Immigrant rights advocates have already disrupted the meeting with shouts of disapproval.

Abbott has also called for the power to remove from office locally elected officials that resist. The Senate is expected to pass the bill as early as next week.