Texas Legislature approves bill citing illegal entry into the state as a crime
Three bills passed by the state Legislature to mitigate the immigration crisis are headed to the desk of Governor Greg Abbott (who has already expressed his intention to sign them into law).
(Cordon Press)
In Texas, the state House of Representatives has backed several bills - previously approved by the Senate - to mitigate the serious immigration crisis plaguing the state.
The laws - called HB 4, HB 6 and SB 4 - make illegal entry into Texas territory a state crime (second-degree felony) (this can involve a prison sentence of two to 20 years). They also allow state authorities to detain, arrest and expel those who commit the offense (this includes the transfer of illegals to exit points from the country). Likewise, funding was approved to build and operate a "border barrier."
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The bills are headed to the desk of the State's Governor, Greg Abbott, who has already shown his support and expressed his intention to sign and sign them into law.
Expulsion of illegals and construction of the border barrier
The text of the bill (HB 4) states that if a person "enters or attempts to enter Texas from a foreign nation at any place other than the legal port of entry," this will be considered a misdemeanor. It also indicates that if the illegal's expulsion "was following a conviction for the commission of two or more misdemeanor drug offenses, crimes against a person, or both," this will be considered a felony (third degree).
The rule also prohibits "the illegal entry or illegal presence in this state by a foreign person, the enforcement of those prohibitions, and authorizes, under certain circumstances, the removal of persons who violate some of those prohibitions."
The House also passed HB 6, which provides funding and grants funds "for the construction, operation and maintenance of border barrier infrastructure." SB 4 was also supported by legislators. This rule establishes a mandatory minimum sentence (between five and 25 years) for human traffickers.
Governor Abbott thanked Republicans who introduced the bills, and credited the state House for passing "key bills for Special Session #3: Criminalizing Illegal Entry into Texas and Authorizing Removal by Authorized Law Enforcement Officers , and more funding for the Texas border wall.”
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