The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the passage of three major border security bills in the Texas House and commends House leadership, as well as Senator Flores, Representative Guillen, Representative Jetton, and Representative Spiller for taking the lead in carrying legislation that will help protect Texans and secure our border.
Senate Bill 4 passed the full Legislature and is headed to the Governor’s desk.
“SB 4 will increase the penalties for those who engage in human smuggling and operate stash houses, better protecting our communities and migrants,” said Carine Martinez, campaign director for TPPF’s Secure & Sovereign Frontier campaign. “By passing SB 4, the Texas Legislature continues to help protect Texas communities and sends a strong message to Mexican cartels that we will not tolerate human smuggling in our state, whether it is undertaken by foreign operatives of drug cartels, or by Americans recruited by these cartels.”
House Bill 6 authorizes a $1.5bn appropriation to continue to build a border barrier infrastructure.
“The state of Texas has had to bear a heavy burden in the face of this crisis. Instead of backing down, Governor Abbott and state legislators have found creative and effective means to secure our border. HB 6 continues to build on that commitment,” said Greg Sindelar, TPPF CEO and President. “Texas will continue to build its own border wall and equip it with necessary infrastructure.”
House Bill 4 seeks to deter unlawful entries by creating state criminal offenses for illegally entering or reentering Texas from a foreign nation and by authorizing Texas law enforcement to remove illegal aliens from Texas.
“HB 4 reaffirms Texas’ authority to protect its citizens, secure its border, and exclude from its territory those who enter it and seek to remain illegally. This bill is necessary to remedy the failure of the federal government to protect our international border as well as Texas and U.S. citizens,” Martinez concluded. “It will also allow Texas to continue to fight the infiltration of our state by dangerous Mexican cartel operatives.”
Faced with the dereliction of duty of the federal government, Texas did and will continue to work to fill the gap, protect Texans, and control its border.