Members of the Texas House are debating legislation Wednesday sponsored by Sen. Charles Perry, a Republican, that would ban cities, counties, and universities in the state from creating policies that prohibit law enforcement officers from asking a person about his or her immigration status or from enforcing immigration law.
Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted his support for the ban earlier in the day.
RT if you agree the Texas House should pass the bill today to ban sanctuary cities. #txlege #tcot https://t.co/vadHnqhsNt
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 26, 2017
This bill would result in racial profiling, mass deportations, and families being torn apart. #SB4 #NoBanNoWallNoRaids https://t.co/CHOJDCAVFg
— ACLU National (@ACLU) April 26, 2017
Cats and dogs living together … mass hysteria!
More than 180 amendments reportedly have been submitted, and one that managed to pass Wednesday by a vote of 92-53 would allow for the removal of elected or appointed local officials who violate the ban, if it manages to pass.
The @GregAbbott_TX idea to sack sheriffs who don't enforce fed immigration law being put fwd in form of @MattRinaldiTX amendment rn #TXlege
— Forrest Wilder (@Forrest4Trees) April 26, 2017
Rinaldi's amendment which allows for removal of elected or appointed officials if they violate the law passes 92-53 #SB4 #txlege
— James Barragán (@James_Barragan) April 26, 2017
Amendment to remove sheriffs from office (hi, @SallyTCSheriff) if they don't enforce federal immigration law passes 92-53 #TXlege
— Forrest Wilder (@Forrest4Trees) April 26, 2017
Another amendment that failed would have excluded colleges and universities from the ban on sanctuary jurisdictions.
Amend to exclude colleges from #sb4 fails, threatening nearly 25K Dream Act students who pay >$58M in tuition per year. #txlege pic.twitter.com/r7UFbjcCjK
— Ann Beeson (@AnnBeesonCPPP) April 26, 2017
Students being afraid to go to class doesn't make any community safer. #SB4 #NoBanNoWallNoRaids https://t.co/Y5xzymlNmo
— ACLU National (@ACLU) April 26, 2017
Reporters following the proceedings are noting that tensions are high and the tears were flowing at times.
.@workersdefense @RafaelAnchia .@ChrisGTurner comforts @GeneforTexas after emotional testimony against #SB4. "I'm an immigrant. My parents are immigrants," Wu said #txlege pic.twitter.com/5PzP3kbaQn
— Sam DeGrave (@sgdegrave) April 26, 2017
Rep. Gene Wu tweeted earlier in the day that he and fellow Democrats would be wearing butterfly ribbons to show their support for DREAMers. It makes sense that snowflake ribbons wouldn’t make much sense in Texas.
House @texasdemocrats members will be wearing these pins to show their support for #Dreamers. #SB4 #txlege pic.twitter.com/SkeOab4Sg6
— Gene Wu (@GeneforTexas) April 26, 2017
Special gift from my fellow @TexasYDs to our Reps for their bold stance in standing on right side of history! #SB4 Thank you for wearing! https://t.co/r9k2VMDGMz
— Mayra (@peppyMiss) April 26, 2017
Wear a butterfly on your label, but sting like a bee, apparently.
Do not mess with us today. #txlege #SB4
— Rep. Eddie Lucio III (@TXRepE3) April 26, 2017
.@TXRepE3 asks @RafaelAnchia questions from back mic. Says "I'm a proud Latino; don't mess with me today." #SB4 #txlege pic.twitter.com/5bs5ZusaBl
— Gene Wu (@GeneforTexas) April 26, 2017
Rep. Victoria Neave has been fasting since Sunday in protest of the legislation.
Rep. Victoria Neave began her fast on Sunday after eating a communion wafer at church. https://t.co/YXXeyfgfpl
— Texas Standard (@TexasStandard) April 24, 2017
Today I spoke about my reasons for the #FastAgainstSB4, my faith, and my father. Watch my remarks here #txlege https://t.co/tnhHpOmkhh
— Victoria Neave (@Victoria4Texas) April 26, 2017
Protesters were out in force, naturally.
We're headed down to Austin to join the fight against #SB4 – we need YOU to help us by calling your Representative all day!#stopsb4 pic.twitter.com/lc9CNAzjdC
— IndivisibleDFW (@DFWIndivisible) April 26, 2017
AUSTIN: Fill the 3rd floor gallery. We need y'all to show up and bear witness, & to show the world that you stand against #SB4. #txlege
— Indivisible #Txlege (@IndvsbleTXLege) April 26, 2017
Opponents to #SB4 #sanctuarycities gather at Tx Capitol-claim its Racist- Dallas Rep. Anchia calls Gov @GregAbbott_TX weak Leader pic.twitter.com/4EsoYvWHBW
— rudy koski (@KoskionFOX7) April 26, 2017
.@workersdefense @RafaelAnchia @ChrisGTurner @GeneforTexas .@UTAustin students are sitting in the middle of the Capitol rotunda floor to protest #SB4. They're not leaving till the House votes #txlege pic.twitter.com/P9zhyrQbP2
— Sam DeGrave (@sgdegrave) April 26, 2017
People are currently gathering for a #Stopsb4 vigil in the rotunda.#sb4 #txlege pic.twitter.com/GPyXAvb2Nf
— Rebecca Marques (@_RebeccaMarques) April 26, 2017
Prayer and powerful voices ring out in the rotunda of the #txlege in support of immigrant families! #stopsb4 pic.twitter.com/lbpUuGFNhB
— Gina Chavez (@ginachavez) April 26, 2017
Opponents are gathered in the rotunda for a prayer vigil against #SB4. (The prayers began shortly after this chant vid) #txlege pic.twitter.com/x7WjSNI1Nt
— Lyanne A. Guarecuco (@lyannealexia) April 26, 2017
No child should live in fear of losing their parents. Democrats will never stop fighting to keep families together. #SB4 #txlege pic.twitter.com/GEh5KLWha1
— Texas Democrats (@texasdemocrats) April 26, 2017
We’ll check back; this will be going on for quite a while.
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Update:
The exemption for colleges and universities isn’t the only amendment that failed Wednesday; Texas isn’t having sanctuary pre-K either.
An exemption for pre-school and pre-k fails 55-89 #txlege #sb4
— Eleanor Dearman (@EllyDearman) April 27, 2017
