Texas border town sues over state law to punish 'sanctuary cities'
Source: Reuters
Tue May 9, 2017 | 1:53pm EDT
By Jim Forsyth | SAN ANTONIO
A small Texas town on the Mexico border filed suit in federal court on Tuesday seeking to throw out on U.S. constitutional grounds a new Texas law that aims to punish so-called "sanctuary cities."
El Cenizo, near Laredo, said it has offered refuge since before Texas, the largest Republican-controlled state, was part of the United States. It said the new law forces it and other localities to forgo their duties to serve and protect at home to become de facto immigration agents.
"The use by the state of city and county resources for federal immigration enforcement breeds distrust of local government and officials, who have no power to change federal laws, and can also wrench apart family and community structures," said the lawsuit.
The Texas law signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday takes effect on Sept. 1. It comes as Republican U.S. President Donald Trump has made combating illegal immigration a priority. Texas, with the longest border with Mexico of any U.S. state, has been at the forefront of the immigration debate.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-texas-idUSKBN18523Q