Meanwhile in Texas

[blogslut]

https://www.texastribune.org/2017/02/02/protesters-flood-state-capitol-lawmakers-debate-sanctuary-cities-bill/

Protesters flood Texas Capitol as committee debates sanctuary cities bill

Hundreds of opponents of a controversial immigration proposal descended on the state Capitol Thursday as senators began the process of getting the bill to the governor's desk.

Even as groups shouted down at them from the state Capitol’s Senate gallery, Republican lawmakers on Thursday held steady in their attempt to move a controversial immigration law past its first procedural hurdle.

Senate Bill 4, by state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, seeks to outlaw sanctuary cities, the common term for local governments that don’t enforce immigration laws. It is being heard in a Senate committee Thursday and if voted out, will make its way to the full Senate for a vote.

The proposal would allow local police to enforce immigration laws if the officer is working with a federal immigration officer or under an agreement between the local and federal agency. It would also punish local governments if their law enforcement agencies — specifically county jails — fail to honor requests, known as detainers, from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to hand over immigrants in custody for possible deportation. The punishment would be a denial of state grant funds...

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Live stream of the Legislature here: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/02/02/watch-sanctuary-cities-committee-hearing/

[Gothmog]

1. The head of the Texas ACLU spoke to my group today

The Texas ACLU has 6 people at this hearing

[blogslut]

2. It's just ridiculous.

Texas is in pretty bad shape financially. Texas' economy has dropped from 3rd to 21st in national rankings - all during Abbott's term. We. Need. Mexico. and everything it can offer us.

[Horse with no Name]

3. I work for the State

there is a state hiring freeze across the board until the end of the fiscal year.

I'm thinking it is worse than anyone really knows.

[blogslut]

4. Yep

The oil thing has hit us hard and, IMHO, that bloated industry ain't never gonna come back to full force no matter how much Rex Tillerson and the like try to prop it up.

[Horse with no Name]

5. Nope.

I am fortunate that my job is constitutionally guaranteed. BUT. You know what follows a freeze? A workforce reduction.

Our schools are a disgrace.

Everything.

They have made a mess of the entire state. They will blame it on Obama although we didn't even do Obamacare here, lol.

But these East Texas idiots are going to drag us down the sewer.