The American Civil Liberties Union has issued a warning about traveling to Texas because of the state's new law banning so-called sanctuary cities.
The ACLU said Tuesday that Texas travelers should anticipate "the possible violation of their constitutional rights" if stopped by police.
The new law allows officers to ask people about their immigration status during routine stops.
“The ACLU’s goal is to protect all Texans and all people traveling through Texas — regardless of their immigration status — from illegal harassment by law enforcement,” said Lorella Praeli, ACLU director of immigration policy and campaigns. “Texas is a state with deep Mexican roots and home to immigrants from all walks of life. Many of us fit the racial profile that the police in Texas will use to enforce Trump’s draconian deportation force.”
“It is simply a matter of time before illegal arrests occur. Local law enforcement will have to decide between violating a person’s rights and being severely fined, thrown in jail, or even being removed from office for choosing not to do so,” said Terri Burke, executive director of the ACLU of Texas.
ACLU officials have pledged to challenge the law, which goes into effect in September after being signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday, in court.
Meanwhile, Republicans reject claims that the law will lead to racial profiling and say it's needed to keep criminals off the streets.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took the unusual step Monday of asking a federal judge to pre-emptively declare the law constitutional.
In an interview Tuesday with NBC 5's Julie Fine, Paxton said the law was designed to protect citizens and if you're not breaking the law you have nothing to worry about.
“I would not be concerned about being in Texas. This is a law that the legislature has reasonably passed that basically says cities, counties cannot prohibit law enforcement from asking about immigration status. It is similar to what Arizona passed, although the Arizona law required that they ask. In this case, it just leaves the discretion up to law enforcement. They are not required to ask but they can,” Paxton added.
