Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott receives thousands of praise from all over the United States after blocking the funding over so-called "sanctuary cities" for the first time last 1 February. This came after Austin's sheriff said the city's jails would no longer honor most federal immigration detainers.
The move begins a crackdown Abbott wants in Texas over criminal suspects who are in the country illegally, which comes as he pushes to sign new laws that could go even further than President Donald Trump's new executive actions against sanctuary policies.
The revoked funds came a day after Abbott used his State of the State address to declare a "sanctuary city" ban an urgent priority for lawmakers. A Senate committee on will vote on a bill that would deny state grant funds to jurisdictions that discourage "inquiring into the immigration status of a person under lawful detention or arrest." Abbott has also called for the power to remove locally elected officials if they don't comply.
Trump signed an order a few days ago to withdraw funding from sanctuary cities that decline to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. It didn't specify what kind of money could be pulled. In California, San Francisco officials sued over the order, saying it was unconstitutional and an invasion of the city's sovereignty.
However, a quick check of the Constitution will reveal that President Trump is within his jurisdiction when he signed the executive order. The Texas constitution also has a similar provision that gives Gov. Abbot the powers.
The move begins a crackdown Abbott wants in Texas over criminal suspects who are in the country illegally, which comes as he pushes to sign new laws that could go even further than President Donald Trump's new executive actions against sanctuary policies.
The revoked funds came a day after Abbott used his State of the State address to declare a "sanctuary city" ban an urgent priority for lawmakers. A Senate committee on will vote on a bill that would deny state grant funds to jurisdictions that discourage "inquiring into the immigration status of a person under lawful detention or arrest." Abbott has also called for the power to remove locally elected officials if they don't comply.
Trump signed an order a few days ago to withdraw funding from sanctuary cities that decline to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. It didn't specify what kind of money could be pulled. In California, San Francisco officials sued over the order, saying it was unconstitutional and an invasion of the city's sovereignty.
However, a quick check of the Constitution will reveal that President Trump is within his jurisdiction when he signed the executive order. The Texas constitution also has a similar provision that gives Gov. Abbot the powers.