Texas law enforcement faces ongoing challenges in addressing crimes committed by illegal aliens who have crossed the southern border and dispersed throughout the state, a new report from TPPF highlights. While current border security measures, such as fencing and surveillance, aim to prevent illegal crossings, local officers often encounter undocumented individuals during routine interactions, complicating their ability to track and hold these individuals accountable.
“Texas leaders passed the anti-sanctuary city law in 2017 and have since sought more innovative ways to secure our state,” said Selene Rodriguez, Campaign Director for the Secure & Sovereign Texas campaign at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “This research provides more ways which the Texas Legislature can strengthen our law enforcement and keep our communities safe. Our lawmakers should seriously consider an intensive, cohesive approach, and that approach should be applied statewide.”
The report proposes critical strategies that will arm Texas law enforcement with the authority to: determine the status of anyone they stop, detain, or arrest if reasonable suspicion exists that that person is unlawfully present in the state; inquire about immigration status after making an arrest; and report to ICE the immigration status and identifiers for all persons arrested or detained when those individuals are unlawfully present in the state.
These powerful strategies, among others highlighted in the report, will fortify our law enforcement’s ability to combat the challenges posed by illegal aliens, ultimately ensuring a safer Texas for all its law-abiding residents.
To read the full paper, click here >>