Texas House approves immigration bills during long, heated, overnight session

Local and state police officers in Texas may soon be able to question and arrest people they suspect crossed into the state illegally.

The Texas House approved House Bill 4 along with several other aspects of Governor Greg Abbott's border security agenda in an overnight session which drew shouts and an emotional confrontation between fellow lawmakers.

House Bill 4 now heads to the Texas Senate for approval, where a similar bill passed earlier this month.

Rep. David Spiller, R - Jacksboro, wrote the bill making it a state crime for someone to enter Texas illegally. A migrant may get two years in prison if caught trying multiple times. The bill also allows local and state police to take the arrested migrant to a point of entry at the United States border.

"Our cries for help and enforcement of our existing federal immigration laws have been ignored," said Rep. Spiller laying out the bill, pointing to the Biden administration, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The United States Border Patrol made around 2 million contacts with people trying to cross the Mexican border into America illegally according to Federal statistics. Many Republicans see HB 4 as getting state police in on enforcing American immigration laws.

"We will empower more of our law enforcement officers to step up and help our troopers to make sure we are physically repelling immigrants," said Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R - Lakeway.

The debate stopped for nearly three hours after a heated confrontation between Rep. Armando Walle, D - Houston, and Rep. Cody Harris, R - Palestine. The argument was sparked because the House temporarily approved a Harris move limiting the number of changes to be made to the bill. Harris made the motion because he thought the Democrats would file dozens of amendments as a strategic delay.

"You're my friend, man. I love you. But this **** hurts. The **** that happens on this **** floor **** hurts," Rep. Walle was recorded on video telling Rep. Harris.

The amendment limit was dropped and the House was in session until 4 a.m. Thursday debating different aspects of the bill.

"This is a very hot topic that people are passionate about on both sides of the issue," Rep. Harris told KXAN News, comparing Walle to a brother who gets in a scrap once in a while.

Some small changes need to be worked out with the Republican leaders of the Senate before heading to Governor Abbott to sign. One change House lawmakers agreed on was making HB 4 unenforceable at schools, churches, and hospitals.

“I do appreciate the feedback and input I’ve received from many parties, many individuals, many stakeholders, counties, cities, others,” said Rep. Spiller, R – Jacksboro.

Around a decade ago a similar law was passed in Arizona but the United States Supreme Court struck major parts of the legislation down because it violated the constitution. Most aspects of immigration law are under the purview of the federal government, not the state governments. The makeup of the Supreme Court has since changed, becoming more conservative.

“They’re searching for an opportunity to overturn prior rulings," said Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos, D - Richardson.

Rep. Ramos captured and posted the footage of the Walle-Harris exchange online. She worries the proposed legislation would lead to racial profiling and police arresting people who are legally in the country but don't have identification or immigration papers on them to prove it.

“It’s assuming that individuals are from Mexico. That’s absolutely ignorant because we know we have immigrants from all over the world,” said Rep. Ramos.

A Senate bill increasing the penalties for human smuggling passed the House Thursday morning and now heads to Governor Abbott to be signed into law. Democrats argued the bill was too vague but didn't have the votes to stop it.

Another bill dedicating $1.5 billion to continue building a border barrier passed the House as well but must be approved by the Senate.