Texas Legislature Passes 2 Bills Criminalizing Illegal Migrant Entry Into State

The Texas Legislature passed two separate bills criminalizing the illegal entry of migrants into the state. The bill passed by the House also criminalizes the unlawful presence of a foreign national in Texas. {snip}

The Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 4 early Thursday morning {snip} The bill creates a criminal offense of “illegal entry into or illegal presence in this state by a person who is an alien.”

The bill, if passed by the Texas Senate and signed by Governor Greg Abbott would make the act of attempting to enter the state from a foreign country at a place other than a legal port of entry a Class B misdemeanor. {snip}

The bill provides a law enforcement officer with an alternative to arrest. The officer may transport the migrant to a port of entry and order the migrant to “return to the foreign nation.” {snip}

{snip}

Earlier this month, the Texas Senate passed SB11, which also makes illegal entry into Texas a Class A misdemeanor. {snip}

The Senate bill does not contain a provision for removal of the migrant as described in the House bill.

{snip}