After being elected to the Texas Senate only two years ago, State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) proved to be one of the leading reformers in the chamber last session. Now, Perry is building on his record by carrying SB 4, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority legislation to end sanctuary cities, a term used for cities who refuse to cooperate with federal authorities in enforcing immigration law.
Perry’s legislation would compel local governments and law enforcement officers to uphold the rule of law and cooperate with immigration authorities.
“By electing a Republican president and Republican majorities in Congress, the American people made it clear that solving our illegal immigration crisis must be a priority,” said Perry in a statement. “That starts by eliminating sanctuary cities, securing our border, and enforcing the immigration laws we currently have on the books. We cannot sit idly by and allow local policies to undercut efforts made at the federal and state level.”
Though Perry authored similar legislation last session, the measure was one of a select few that didn’t have enough support to reach the floor. Many speculated that the bill’s failure to pass the Senate was the result of two lawmakers, State Sens. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) and Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) siding with Democrats to keep the bill and others from advancing.
The measure has broad support of Republicans with 95.6 percent of delegates to the state’s Republican Convention supporting “denial and/or withdrawal of public funds for entities, public and/or private, not in compliance with our immigration laws, including sanctuary cities.”
The legislation follows a pledge by Sally Hernandez, the newly-elected sheriff of Travis County, to refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities.
