What Are Sanctuary Cities?
There has been a lot of discussion regarding sanctuary cities during the past few years. Sanctuary cities are cities where undocumented immigrants who are fleeing persecution can stay without having to worry about getting deported. In order for someone to enter the United States, they need to have valid documentation. Some cities are more aggressive about policing undocumented immigrants than others. There are some situations where people might try to come to the United States because they are fleeing violence. Even though they might not have documentation, they could try to sneak into the United States anyway. Cities that do not actively try to deport people fleeing persecution are typically called sanctuary cities.
Are There Sanctuary Cities in Texas?
In Texas, no city has formally declared itself a sanctuary city. There are examples of sanctuary cities scattered across the country. A few examples include Seattle, Chester County, Clarion County, Westmoreland County, Portland, Corvallis, Cleveland, Jersey City, Newark, New York City, and Albany. There are plenty of other cities across the country that are starting to declare themselves Sanctuary cities as well.
Even though Texas does not currently have any cities that have declared themselves sanctuary cities, there are a lot of cities in Texas that do not completely cooperate with Federal authorities looking to enforce immigration law. Some of these cities have drawn a negative response from the local Texas legislature, and Texas is actually in the process of passing a bill to ban sanctuary cities.
What Is Texas Senate Bill 4?
The Texas legislature is very upset that a lot of cities in Texas are not cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Texas has had a problem with illegal immigration, particularly because it sits right on the border of Mexico. According to a new bill that is on the floor of the Senate, the goal is to outlaw sanctuary cities. The way it will do this is by forcing local police officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. That means that when immigration authorities inquire about the immigration status of people living in Texas, local police officers are required to cooperate with them. Furthermore, cities in Texas will be prohibited from obstructing officers looking to enforce immigration laws as passed by the United States.
What Does This Mean for Undocumented Immigrants?
Right now, what this bill means for undocumented immigrants is still unclear. It would mean that if someone is detained in Texas, local police officers would have the right to ask them about their immigration status. This could even happen at routine traffic stops, even though many people who work in the government have said that this will not happen. Right now, there is a lot of distrust between undocumented immigrants and authorities in Texas. The bill is still up for debate, and the final version of the bill has not yet been decided. A lot of people who are living in Texas are waiting to see what the Texas government decides.