The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the full Senate passage of HB 7, important border security legislation that will give additional tools to the state of Texas to rein in the crisis at our southern border while the federal government continues to fail Texans and Americans.
“We commend Chairman Birdwell and Chairman Guillen for working to find state solutions to protect Texas communities and secure our southern border, said TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar.
HB 7 offers new, innovative and assertive state solutions to protect Texans, including but not limited to enhanced sentences for human smuggling, the creation of a criminal offense for entering the state illegally from a foreign nation, support for local courts that face an increase in border-related cases, and a new border force in the Texas Rangers division.
A recent poll revealed that over 60% of Texans support the creation of a state offense to enter Texas illegally and the creation of a law enforcement unit dedicated to securing the border.
“This border security legislation is needed in order to protect Texans and send a strong message to Mexican drugs cartels: Texas does not tolerate human and drug trafficking. To echo the words of Chairman Birdwell, Texas must not fail where both the federal government and the Mexican government have. For this reason, we look forward to the Texas Legislature sending this important border security legislation to Governor Abbott,” Sindelar concluded.