Hundreds of protesters opposed to an anti-sanctuary city and campus bill descended on the Texas Capitol on Thursday. Shouts of “Governor Abbott is a fascist” and applause and shouts broke the normal decorum of the Senate Gallery.
Emotions stretched thin as hundreds of witnesses spoke with more than 15 hours of testimony and deliberations. Most of the witnesses pleaded with lawmakers to stop the anti-sanctuary bill.
Another outburst by protesters and another escort out of the Senate chamber @fox7austin #sanctuarycities pic.twitter.com/j61I6F7iw0
— rudy koski (@KoskionFOX7) February 2, 2017
#Protestors just interrupted Sen. Perry's explanation of SB 4
— Max Gorden (@Max_Gorden) February 2, 2017
As Sen Perry intros #SB4, protesters begin singing, "Which side are you on, my ppl?" They are quickly removed #txlege #sanctuary
— Sean Walsh (@sbcmw) February 2, 2017
Texas lawmakers on the Senate Committee on State Affairs deliberated and took testimony on the controversial anti-sanctuary bill, Senate Bill 4. More than 500 people signed up to be witnesses to speak about the proposed legislation. The hearing started at 8:30 a.m. but senators were still there at midnight. Most of the witnesses speaking on Senate Bill 4 testified against the bill.
It's now Friday in the Texas Senate and I'm still here. Hundreds came to testify against #SB4. Thank you for sharing your stories. #txlege pic.twitter.com/76d4sSaxFB
— Congresswoman-elect Sylvia Garcia (@SenatorSylvia) February 3, 2017
The ACLU of Texas and others opposing the measure did what they could to organize those wanting to “Stop SB 4.”
#txlege will hold hearings on the #SanctuaryCities bill TOMORROW! Come out & make your voice heard: https://t.co/9ihQ4BCmny #SB4 pic.twitter.com/fPP3YJdOzm
— ACLU of Texas (@ACLUTx) February 1, 2017
Jackson County Sheriff A.J. (Andy) Louderback told Breitbart Texas, “All they did today was incite fear, misinformation, and try to twist what the legislation does and says … They are trying to say the bill creates state and local immigration officials. This is simply not true. All the bill is about is honoring ICE (U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement) detainers.” Moreover he stressed, “Witnesses to a crime have never been a target of ICE.”
During the hearing, the author of the bill, Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), told those gathered and watching on livestream that his bill was not a deportation bill.
Breitbart Texas reported about the substance of the bill when it was pre-filed in mid-November, and again when lawmakers held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the committee hearing and their continued commitment to passing the legislation.
Those opposed to the issue expressed their opinion on social media.
Sen Perry is out to lock up good hard working Mexicans in Texas. Pathetic. https://t.co/cid5wmOmot
— Tom Collier (@TomrCollier) February 2, 2017
Just before 5:00 p.m., reports were being posted on Twitter that some witnesses were cursing, shouting, and some were said to be crying. Julian Aguilar, a border reporter with the Texas Tribune tweeted that one of the witnesses that had just testified “accused lawmakers of ‘shoveling horse shit for hours.'”
Last witness accused lawmakers of "shoveling horse shit for hours" while witnesses only get 2 mins to speak. #txlegelive #txlege
— Julian Aguilar (@nachoaguilar) February 2, 2017
Witnesses were allowed two minutes to speak.
‘Today we worked around the clock hearing from over 500 Texans on senate bill 4. This is an initiative I co-authored to eliminate sanctuary cities. Safety and rule of law must be followed by all citizens and all local law enforcement,” Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) told Breitbart Texas.
Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) said “A healthy democracy depends on the voice of the people, so I appreciate those who took the time to travel across the state to testify before the Senate State Affairs committee. Senator Perry worked hard to improve this bill from last session so that law-abiding citizens are protected from unlawful detainment and, at the same time, local governments cannot create safe havens for criminal acts by illegal immigrants.”
Breitbart Texas reported on Tuesday that during his State of the State Address, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared banning sanctuary cities one of his four emergency items. Abbott said emphatically, “This is the session we will ban sanctuary cities.” The Texas Governor gave a shout-out from the Texas House floor to State Senator Perry, the author of SB4.
People from all over the country are following the Texas bill, and the generally hot topic of #Sanctuary Cities was trending on Twitter on Thursday.
https://t.co/RfcYSFqor5 #Texas leading the charge to finally get rid of #sanctuarycities
— ROCK ON OHIO 🇺🇸 (@ROCKONOHIO) February 2, 2017
Are any of the #SanctuaryCities run by #Republicans. I doubt it. something to think about.
— Chuck Woolery (@chuckwoolery) January 26, 2017
Governor Abbott said during his address to Texas legislators that “Some law enforcement officials in Texas are openly refusing to enforce existing law … That is unacceptable,” he said.
Besides designating sanctuary city legislation an emergency item for the 85th Texas Legislative Session, Texas Governor Greg Abbott took action the day after his State of the State Address. As reported by Breitbart Texas, the Governor slashed funds going to Travis County. The removal of state law enforcement grants from the state to the county went into effect on February 1.
“Today I cut funding to Travis County because of its Sanctuary City policy,” Abbott Tweeted. “Stiffer penalties coming soon.”
Today I cut funding to Travis County because of its Sanctuary City policy. Stiffer penalties coming soon. #txlege https://t.co/mQZ9Suf62e
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 1, 2017
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2.
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