These are the new anti-immigrant laws enacted in Texas
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, signed into law a package of anti-immigrant laws with the aim of stopping the immigration crisis on the southern border.
On the afternoon of Monday, December 18, the Republican Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, signed into law an entire package of anti-immigrant laws with the objective of tackling the migration crisis that is being experienced on the southern border of the state, where every day, hundreds of migrants cross without going through the proper channels.
Among the most controversial measures is the approval of the SB4 law, which allows local and state authorities to arrest immigrants who cross without documents and process them for “minor crimes,” without requesting permission from the federal government. Although this measure is the one that has attracted the most attention, the truth is that the package has other laws that, in the same way, directly affect immigrants in Texas. Below, you will find what they are and what each one of them consists of.
These are the new anti-immigrant laws enacted in Texas
In addition to the controversial SB4 that penalizes illegal entry into Texas, the new package of laws includes the allocation of $1.54 billion dollars to the border security operation, known as “Operation Lone Star,” which includes the installation of barbed wire and a buoy barrier on the Rio Grande to stop immigrants from crossing the border, as well as dedicating additional funds to expand construction of the border wall.
“In this effort, we’ve constructed miles of concertina wire, put up over a thousand anti-climb barrier panels, and have employed new surveillance vehicles that will help get after gotaways that are getting into the country. I want to thank the Governor for his relentless effort to protect Texans, and the Lieutenant Governor and legislators for giving the Texas National Guard all the tools they need to keep Texans safe,” said General Suelzer head of the Texas National Guard in a statement.
The new laws also toughen measures against human trafficking, creating a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison for continuous human trafficking for those who help others cross. It also creates a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years behind bars for operating a safe house; in addition to expanding criminal penalties “for crimes related to victims that occurred during the commission of smuggling, such as assault and robbery.”
“Four years ago, the United States had the fewest illegal border crossings in decades. It was because of four policies put in place by the Trump Administration that led to such a low number of illegal crossings. President Biden has eliminated all of those policies and done nothing to halt illegal immigration. (...) These laws will help stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas, add additional funding to build more border wall, and crackdown on human smuggling,” Abbott stated when signing the package.