Thread: BILL WOULD GIVE TEXAS JURISDICTION TO ENFORCE FEDERAL ILLEGAL ALIEN LAWS

TEXAS SENATE: BILL WOULD GIVE TEXAS JURISDICTION TO ENFORCE FEDERAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT LAWS



by LANA SHADWICK 7 May 20151

The Texas State Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would give Texas law enforcement officers jurisdiction to enforce federal laws intended to – in the words of the bill’s author – “stop illegal alien criminals at the border.”

Texas would have to obtain this authority through an interstate compact with at least one other state, and the approval of the United States Congress, without the President’s approval.

The Interstate Compact Clause, United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 10, recognizes that the states have the authority to create an interstate compact validated by the U.S. Congress. Such compacts date back hundreds of years. They allow states to act outside the constraints of the federal government, with appropriate deference to the will of Congress.

The author of S.B. 1252, Senator Bob Hall (R-Edgewood), told Breitbart Texas, “Our objective with SB 1252 is clear: a more safe and secure America! The way to reach this goal is to completely seal our borders, except for authorized crossings via legal ports of entry, and enforce current laws already on the books. If the federal government will not protect us from violent criminal aliens, then Texas must.”

Senate Bill 1252 would become federal law following Congressional consent. Once in effect, it would require the governor of Texas to “coordinate, develop, and execute an interstate compact for border security among interested states.”

The governor would also be obliged to “call a special session of the legislature to adopt a compact … on or before the 31st day after another state adopts the compact.”

The interstate compact provisions required under the bill must include “operational control of the state’s border with Mexico by the total detection and apprehension or deflection of illegal aliens attempting to cross the border in this state;” and “otherwise enforcing federal immigration laws, including detecting, apprehending, detaining, prosecuting, releasing, and monitoring of illegal aliens.”

The bill is co-authored by Senators Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), and Van Taylor (R-Collin County), Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), and Don Huffines (R-Dallas).

Senator Kolkhorst told Breitbart Texas, “The issue of illegal immigration on our border continues to be a major concern for Texans. That’s why we’ve stepped up our state’s investment by hundreds of millions of dollars to fund border security operations that the Federal government has ignored.”

“Another solution is Senate Bill 1252, which I’m proud to author with Senator Hall, to enable Texas to join an interstate compact with other states so that we can enforce federal immigration laws that aren’t being enforced today,” Kolkhorst continued.

S.B. 1252 amends Title 7 of the Texas Government Code relating to interstate compacts on border security and immigration enforcement. The bill passed in the Senate on a partisan vote of 20 to 11.

“This is your government stepping-up to step into what is a void,” Senator Hall told witnesses at the hearing on the bill before the Senate subcommittee on Border Security, as reported by Breitbart Texas.

Hall said he wanted to “correct a situation that needs correcting,” charging that the federal government is not doing the job they are paid to do.

Regarding the motivations of those who would keep the border unsecured, Hall said, “We know what it is, we do not have to say what it is.”

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/...mmigrant-laws/

Yes! Yes! Yes! I so support this bill. GO TEXAS! GO STATES! Thank you Texas!

Senate votes to enforce federal immigration laws with interstate compact


Terrence Stutz
Published: May 6, 2015 1:31 pm

Legislation that seeks to create an interstate compact between Texas and other states to enforce federal immigration laws won tentative approval Wednesday from the Senate. With Democrats in opposition, the GOP majority approved a bill that would be the first step in establishing the Border Security Interstate Compact.

Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, author of the measure, said it is aimed at making Texas and other states safer “by giving our government the tools to stop criminals from moving into and operating in Texas.” Hall said the federal government and both political parties in Congress “have failed us in securing our border.”

Although Democrats argued that Texas has no constitutional authority to enforce federal immigration laws, Hall insisted that states have the power to enter into interstate compacts to take such action. Asked by one Democrat whether any states have joined together to enforce federal laws, Hall was unable to cite any specific examples.

The proposal has a long way to go to become effective. First, the House must approve the bill in the final three weeks of the legislative session and then Texas must line up one or more states – probably along the U.S.-Mexico border – as partners in the compact. The Legislature must then come back in session to approve the terms of the compact. Then, Texas and other states would have to secure approval from Congress.

“It is not the responsibility of this state to enforce federal laws,” said Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston. “I have questions on whether this is even constitutional.” Garcia also said the bill is “a step in the wrong direction” that puts Texas on a path of conflict with the federal government, which has sole responsibility for enforcing immigration laws.

But Hall responded that Texans are frustrated by the inability of federal authorities to keep criminal undocumented immigrants out of the state. “We hear of story after story of brutal crimes committed by illegal alien criminals,” the North Texas senator said. Many of those criminals, he insisted, “are caught and released, and caught and released.”

Under the measure, approved on a 20-11 vote, the governor would coordinate, develop and execute plans for the Interstate Compact for Border Security. A final vote will occur on Thursday.

The bill analysis states that the compact “would provide for actions among compacting states for the operational control of Texas’ border with Mexico and enforcing federal immigration laws, including detecting, apprehending, detaining, prosecuting, releasing and monitoring of persons unlawfully present in the United States.”

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.c...security.html/

Illegal Immigration 2015: Texas Border Security Plan Wants States To Enforce Federal Laws

By Howard Koplowitz @howardkoplowitz h.koplowitz@ibtimes.com on May 07 2015 8:01 AM EDT

Immigrants to the U.S. watch President Barack Obama's national address on his executive actions on immigration in Phoenix, Nov. 20, 2014. Texas is considering a bill to allow it to join other states in enforcing federal immigration laws. Reuters



The Texas state Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that would allow the state to join others in enforcing federal immigration laws along the Mexico border. But even if the Texas House and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott approve the legislation, it is unlikely to be enacted, observers say, because a multistate agreement would need approval from the U.S. Congress.

The state Senate bill was authored by Republicans who claimed the federal government is ineffective in combating illegal immigration. “These are criminals that the federal government is not enforcing the law against," said Texas state Sen. Bob Hall, a Republican from Edgewood, the Houston Chronicle reported. “The federal government is not enforcing law on criminals. They are letting them go.”

The vote on the controversial bill was 20-11, along party lines, with a final vote scheduled for Thursday. Democrats voiced concerns that the measure was unconstitutional. Democrats also disagreed with language in the bill that referred to undocumented people as “illegal aliens.”

“It is not the responsibility of this state to enforce federal laws,” Texas state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Houston, told the Dallas Morning News. “I have questions on whether this is even constitutional.”

Hall said the bill would improve the security of Texas and other states “by giving our government the tools to stop criminals from moving into and operating in Texas,” the Morning News reported. He said he was prompted to write the bill because the federal government and Congress “have failed us in securing our border.”

“We hear of story after story of brutal crimes committed by illegal alien criminals” who “are caught and released, and caught and released,” Hall said.

In a separate bill, the state Senate also tentatively approved a study on how much illegal immigrants living in Texas cost the state. That vote also passed 20-11, along party lines.

http://www.ibtimes.com/illegal-immig...l-laws-1912157

To those who question (Garcia) whether this is constitutional first ask if Obama's edicts are constitutional. Ms. Garcia, friends of mine will tell you that I do not respect people who are two-faced. Ms. Garcia, I do not apologize for that!

I support this because it opens a gauntlet between the states and the feds. How large that gauntlet may become is unpredictable, IMO. If another state will participate, it puts the feds on notice that the second civil war is only avoidable with co-operation, and maybe the Congress would approve the pact to prevent that! Good move, Sen. Hall!

Originally Posted by kevinssdad

To those who question (Garcia) whether this is constitutional first ask if Obama's edicts are constitutional. Ms. Garcia, friends of mine will tell you that I do not respect people who are two-faced. Ms. Garcia, I do not apologize for that!

I support this because it opens a gauntlet between the states and the feds. How large that gauntlet may become is unpredictable, IMO. If another state will participate, it puts the feds on notice that the second civil war is only avoidable with co-operation, and maybe the Congress would approve the pact to prevent that! Good move, Sen. Hall!

The plan is absolutely constitutional, probably one of the most constitutional actions taken by States in many many years. The only role of the federal government under the US Constitution is to prevent and prohibit immigration, while the states have the same authority as well as the authority to admit immigrants, subject to federal prevention and prohibition. So states are the ones under our Constitution who are most empowered to enforce immigration laws and control immigration by foreigners into their state. The federal government under the US Constitution has no authority to admit any immigrant into the United States, only the authority to prohibit or prevent it and separtely establish a uniform code of naturalization for those immigrants the states choose to admit who wish to become citizens. It's time the unconstitutional admission of immigrants by the federal government is brought to an end.

The problem here is:

But even if the Texas House and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott approve the legislation, it is unlikely to be enacted, observers say, because a multistate agreement would need approval from the U.S. Congress...


Illegal Immigration 2015: Texas Border Security Plan Wants States To Enforce Federal Laws

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

The problem here is:

But even if the Texas House and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott approve the legislation, it is unlikely to be enacted, observers say, because a multistate agreement would need approval from the U.S. Congress...


Illegal Immigration 2015: Texas Border Security Plan Wants States To Enforce Federal Laws

Do you have some reason to believe Congress would not approve it? Why wouldn't Congress approve it? Are you saying that we can't rely upon Congress to take the proper steps to stop illegal immigration?

As I said below, it puts feds on notice that we are fed up with feds. Depending on whether other states participate, and how many, it might indicate to Congress approve the pact and its purpose or confront civil war! I think it is the strongest option for sending the message that anyone has proposed.

http://www.alipac.us/f12/warning-tx-...n-bill-319289/