Federal Appeals Court’s Ruling Upholds Most Of Texas’ ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Law

Style Magazine Newswire | 3/16/2018, 9:17 a.m.
A panel of three U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals judges ruled that most of the state’s immigration enforcement legislation, …
Capitol protests/Texas Tribune

Source: Houston Public Media

A panel of three U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals judges ruled that most of the state’s immigration enforcement legislation, Senate Bill 4, can remain in effect while the case plays out, handing a victory to Gov. Greg Abbott and Republican supporters of the legislation. As passed, Senate Bill 4 allows local law enforcement officers to question the immigration status of people they detain or arrest and punishes local government department heads and elected officials who don’t cooperate with federal immigration “detainers” — requests by agents to turn over immigrants subject to possible deportation — in the form of jail time and penalties that exceed $25,000. The one part of SB 4 that is still on hold is a provision that punishes local officials from “adopting, enforcing or endorsing” policies that specifically prohibit or limit enforcement of immigration laws. The judges kept that injunction in place, but said it only applies to the word “endorse.” The bill, as passed and signed, would have made elected and appointed officials subject to a fine, jail time and possible removal from office for violating all or parts of the legislation.

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