Texas House Takes Steps to Criminalize Illegal Border Crossings

The Texas House of Representatives has approved two immigration bills that would allocate over $1.5 billion for border barriers and make illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border a state crime. Senate Bill 3 would provide funding for border barriers and state troopers to patrol a housing development near Houston, while Senate Bill 4 would make it a state misdemeanor to illegally cross the border and empower Texas peace officers to arrest undocumented immigrants. The bills now go back to the Senate for a vote on the amended versions before heading to the governor's desk. Democrats raised concerns about the amount of money being spent on the border and argued that the state should prioritize other needs such as healthcare and education.