Texas Governor Greg Abbott fired back quickly after Dallas sheriff Lupe Valdez announced she would now consider cooperation with ICE to be on a “case by case” basis.
“’Sanctuary City’ policies like those promoted by your recent decision to implement your own case-by-case immigrant detention plan will no longer be tolerated in Texas,” Abbott began. “Your decision to not fully honor U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) requests to detain criminal immigrants poses a serious danger to Texans. These detainers provide ICE with the critical notice and time it needs to take incarcerated immigrants into federal custody.”
“Your refusal to fully participate in a federal law enforcement program intended to keep dangerous criminals off the streets leaves the State no choice but to take whatever actions are necessary to protect our fellow Texans,” Abbott continued. “Now more than ever, it is essential that state, federal, and local law enforcement work collaboratively to protect our fellow Texans and to ensure that our laws are upheld, not disregarded.”
Abbott then outlined several steps the state of Texas would take to prevent further instances of sanctuary city policies by Dallas or any other Texas jurisdiction.
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Passing laws that prohibit any policy or action that promotes sanctuary to people in this state illegally.
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Enacting laws that make it illegal for a Sheriff’s Department to not honor a federal immigration detainer request.
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Evaluating the extent to which local taxpayers should foot the bill for local decisions that increase costs for Texas’ health and education systems.
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Amending the Tort Claims Act to ensure counties are fully financially responsible for the actions of any illegal immigrants who are released because the county’s Sheriff failed to honor an ICE detainer request.
Bravo Governor Abbott!
