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Senate panel passes sanctuary city bill

KXAN TV

Josh Hinkle

Updated: Jun 14, 2011 7:00 PM

The only one of Gov. Rick Perry's emergency items to fail in the regular session has found new life in the special session. A bill to ban so-called sanctuary cities passed a Senate committee Monday 5-4, re-opening a controversial immigration debate.

As immigration groups readied themselves outside to speak out against the bill, Senators heard testimony from law enforcement groups. Senate Bill 9 would allow police and local governments to legally question the immigration status of people they detain.

Perry resurrected the item in the special session. He has long shown his support to use such methods to battle illegal immigration in Texas, even labeling the city of Houston a sanctuary cities and saying others exist in the state.

Many police groups have opposed the bill, as they say it would increase their workload and damage their relationship with the immigrant community.

"The first thing a plumber would do before he repaired the pipe is cut off the source, so the same is this immigration enforcement," said Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland, who saw his city labeled a sanctuary city by Perry in his last campaign for governor. "We need to secure the borders first."

Also testifying Monday was Houston Police Sgt. Joslyn Johnson, who has a very public ally during Perry's push for this ban.

"My husband was killed by an illegal immigrant who was deported several times," Johnson explained. "The last four officers who have been killed in the line of duty have been by illegal aliens."

Other groups say the bill unfairly targets the Hispanics - illegal or not. The group Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance met at the Capitol to deliver hundreds of letters against SB 9 written to lawmakers in hopes of swaying their opinion.

The Republican-backed bill is expected to pass in the special session, as the GOP has a strong majority in both chambers and would need fewer votes this time around. Senators say it could hit the floor as soon as Tuesday afternoon.

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