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| Texas Governor Threatens Funding Cut Over Sanctuary Cities |
| 2017-01-24 |
| [ABCNEWS.GO] A Central Texas sheriff's announcement her agency will be scaling back its cooperation with federal immigration agents has prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to say his office will be cutting funding for the county. Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez announced last week she is scaling back the amount of aid her department provides federal immigration agents in detaining suspects who might be in the country illegally, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Effective Feb. 1, sheriff's officials will honor so-called immigration holds or "detainers" placed by federal authorities only when a suspect is booked into the Travis County Jail on charges of capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and "continuous smuggling of persons." Otherwise, federal agents must have a court order or arrest warrant signed by a judge for the jail to continue housing a person whose immigration status is in question. Hernandez's announcement came as Texas Republicans are gearing up for a new fight to ban so-called sanctuary cities in the current legislative session. In response to Hernandez, Abbott tweeted his office "will cut funding for Travis County adopting sanctuary policies." "Stiffer penalties coming," Abbott's tweet said. Abbott has pushed the issue to the front of his unofficial agenda for 2017, pledging in interviews and on social media to sign into law a "ban" on cities and local governments that are seen as protecting people in the U.S. illegally, with sanctions such as cutting state funding. Civil rights groups say the threat from the governor could lead to racial profiling. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Alternatively, she may be tired of paying for Fed housing out of her own budget. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2017-01-24 20:11 |
| #2 among many transgressions by Austin Democrats |
| Posted by: Frank G 2017-01-24 19:55 |
| #1 Will somebody please explain the official explanation for choosing not to enforce immigration law? I appreciate the real reason, but I do not understand the 'official' libtard, progressive explanation. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2017-01-24 19:14 |