No. of Recommendations: 2
Which law? Maybe you or albaby can provide a relevant cite?
Any law that can result in long-term incarceration? I'm not sure trespassing qualifies. - 1pg
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Following is a pretty readable summary of the Texas law. Please note it is frequently mis-reported the law gives Texas judges the power to deport. That is wrong. The language below (see last item on list) grants the defendant a choice to avoid prosecution.
What does SB4 do?
Crossing into the U.S. outside of an official port of entry is already a federal crime, though most migrants' violations are treated as civil cases in the immigration court system. SB4 would make illegal immigration a state crime, ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony.
While Texas troopers have already been arresting some migrant adults on state trespassing charges, that effort has required the consent of private property owners. The new law would not.
Under SB4, crossing into Texas illegally from Mexico would be treated as a misdemeanor crime, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. Illegal reentry into Texas would be a felony offense, punishable with up to 2, 10 or 20 years in jail, depending on whether the migrant in question had been previously deported or convicted of certain crimes.
SB4 includes a provision that bars state officials from arresting migrants in certain locations, including schools, places of worship and health care facilities.
The law would also allow Texas magistrates to order migrants suspected of committing the new illegal entry or reentry crimes to return to Mexico as an alternative to continuing their prosecution. Those found to violate those orders could be charged with a second-degree felony.
