HOUSTON – Law enforcement officials in Texas may find themselves in a strange limbo following a back-and-forth between state and federal government regarding Senate Bill 4.
State lawmakers initially approved SB 4, which allows law enforcement to arrest people they think are illegally crossing the Mexico border. Under this law, crossing the border illegally would be categorized as a Class B misdemeanor, carrying a potential jail sentence of up to six months. For repeat offenders, the penalties escalate to a second-degree felony, with imprisonment ranging from two to 20 years.
However, it became a hot-button issue because the new law would make it a state crime to cross the Texas-Mexico border between ports of entry.
The new law was expected to go into effect in early March, but legal challenges from the U.S. Justice Department and immigration advocacy groups have repeatedly prevented that. Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the law to go into effect, however, just hours after it was passed, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit filed an appeal, blocking SB 4 once again.
Back in late February, KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun reached out to Houston Police and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office before a federal judge issued a ruling temporarily blocking the law from taking effect. Both didn’t want to comment but said they were monitoring ongoing legal challenges.
KPRC 2 reached out again Wednesday to law enforcement officials, to see if there have been any changes in sentiment. However, below are the comments we secured in late February, and will update accordingly as they arrive.
Here are the following offices who responded or spoke with KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun:
AUSTIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“We don’t have any problems, haven’t had any impacts. When they arrest someone for a crime, it’s for the crime. If the person happens to be illegal, we turn the information to ICE and if they have any issues then they come and get them. If they don’t have a retainer and they satisfy all the local magistrates, they release them. We haven’t had an influx in our neighborhood.” – Sheriff Jack Brandon
CHAMBERS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“As a sheriff and a member of the association we are extremely supportive of the bill because our border sheriff’s and our borders that are inland are just getting inundated with the gone aways with the illegal immigration and people that are not going through the immigration process and they’re just illegally entering the country.” – Sheriff Brian Hawthorne
FORT BEND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“The Sheriff’s Office does not see the need to detain any person for the purpose of determining their immigration status or enforcing federal immigration laws.
However, when a person is identified in a criminal investigation or when a person is detained for a violation of the law, the Sheriff’s Office will cooperate with federal immigration authorities. When a suspect is booked into the County detention center, any lawful orders to detain or transfer an inmate will be followed.
Justice is blind means that race or ethnicity is not a reason to stop anyone on that basis alone.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for public safety programs and initiatives that improve the quality of life for all residents of Fort Bend County.” - FBCSO Spokesperson
Español:
“La Oficina del Sheriff no ve la necesidad de detener a ninguna persona con el fin de determinar su estatus migratorio o hacer cumplir las leyes de inmigracion.
Sin embargo, cuando una persona es identificada en una investigacion criminal o cuando es detenida por una violacion de la ley, la Oficina del Sheriff cooperara con las autoridades federales de inmigracion.
Cuando un sospechoso es ingresado en la carcel del condado, se seguiran todas las ordines legal para detener or tranferir a un recluso.
La justicia es ciega significa que la raza o el origen étnico no es una razón para detener a nadie sólo por esa base.
La Oficina del Sheriff del condado de Fort Bend es responsable de los programa e iniciativas de seguridad publica que mejoran la calidad de vida de todos los residents del condado de Fort Bend.”
GRIMES COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“My response to you is rather simple, until the courts that are involved resolve the law completely and there is absolute clarity my Deputies with the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office will not be involved with this.” - Sheriff Don Sowell, Grimes County Sheriff’s Office
JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“As a member of Operation Lone Star Task Force this ruling is not going to change anything that Jackson County is currently doing in our effort to help secure the border, with the exception of not filing any additional criminal charges that may have resulted from Senate Bill 4.” - Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson
SAN JACINTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“We’re waiting to see what happens with the injunction. [We’re] not doing anything until legally covered by the courts.” – Chief Deputy Tim Kean
Here are the following sheriff’s offices who have not responded or spoken to KPRC 2:
Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office
Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office
Colorado County Sheriff’s Office
Galveston County Sheriff’s Office
Liberty County Sheriff’s Office
Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Waller County Sheriff’s Office
Walker County Sheriff’s Office
Washington County Sheriff’s Office
KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun contributed to this report.