A federal judge has dismissed the state's lawsuit against Travis County and others their avowed "sanctuary cities" policies.
The suit was pre-emptively filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton to ward of challenges to SB-4 - which bans sanctuary cities. If/when it takes effect on September first, it would also allow local law enforcement officers to question the immigration status of people they detain or arrest.
Paxton defended the law during an interview yesterday on 'Houston's Morning News'...
"Hundreds of thousands of crimes are being committed by illegals - from homicides to sexual assaults to assaults - and so we know we have a crime problem... It's very difficult to understand why these cities would want to protect people here illegally - who have committed crimes."
The issue is far from settled. Opponents of the 'sanctuary cities' law -- including the City of Houston -- have filed a lawsuit against the state in San Antonio. A different federal judge heard arguments on that case in June, and a ruling is pending.