Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald J. Trump took a hardline stance on illegal immigration, and promised to reform America’s broken immigration system. After taking office, President Trump announced a 5-point plan to crack down on illegal immigration, including eliminating controversial sanctuary cities across the country.
While some elected officials, like Massachusetts State Rep. Michelle Dubois, are warning illegal immigrants about impending ICE raids, other politicians are joining the president to fight against illegal immigration.
During an appearance on Newsmax TV’s The Steve Malzberg Show, Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not mince words and pledged to confront cities that refuse to comply with federal immigration law. Abbott told Malzberg he will sign legislation that could jail sheriffs of sanctuary cities in his state.
In the interview, Abbott reaffirmed his support for the rule of law and ending illegal sanctuary cities:
We have been pushing a piece of legislation in Texas that is going to pass that I will be signing into law that imposes even sterner penalties on counties. It will include things such as further defunding them. It will impose fines. And it could impose jail time for these sheriffs to enforce the laws. Oddly enough these sheriffs could wind up behind the very bars they are releasing these criminals from.
Here’s video of the Texas Governor ‘s comments:
Liberal cities across the nation, like Chicago, San Francisco, and New York have flaunted their status as sanctuary cities, and are openly assisting illegal immigrants evade ICE detention. As such, the Trump administration has threatened to deny these cities federal dollars unless they comply with federal immigration law.
Abbott’s comments are likely targeted at Travis County, which is “[o]ne of the most aggressive sanctuary municipalities in the country […] wherein the capital of Austin is located.”
Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez openly supports her jurisdiction’s “sanctuary city” status, and she repeatedly declines detainers from ICE –140 alone between January 28 and February 3– and leads the way in refusing to comply with ICE detainers among all jurisdictions in Texas.
Looks like those days might be over!
Would you support a law in Texas that would jail sheriffs in Texas, like Sally Hernandez, for supporting sanctuary city policies? Share your thoughts below!