The decision from judge Orlando Garcia on Wednesday is a victory for immigration rights advocates and a potential blow for other Republican-led states that may be keen to follow Texas – as well as for the Trump administration, which has vowed to crack down on sanctuary cities. Texas set for protests over SB4 law and Trump threat to Dreamer protection Read moreComing against the backdrop of Hurricane Harvey, the judge’s ruling will be a welcome boost for the state’s large population of undocumented immigrants. Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, said in a statement that “Texas has admirably followed [Trump’s] lead by mandating state-wide cooperation with federal immigration laws that require the removal of illegal aliens who have committed crimes”. “At the end of the day, the legislature is free to ignore the pleas of city and county officials, along with local police departments,” Garcia wrote. Its backers describe it as a measure to keep dangerous criminals off the streets and ensure consistent and efficient co-operation between local and federal law enforcement.

Source: The Guardian August 31, 2017 02:37 UTC