Mocobizscene-El Paso County Commissioners have unanimously voted on Monday to instruct county staff to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state border security bill, in collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Earlier today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott enacted Senate Bill 4, SB4. This legislation empowers local law enforcement agencies to detain and instruct migrants to depart from the United States. It is important to note that SB4 will be implemented in March, marking a new era in immigration enforcement.
While there are individuals who are in favour of the bill, there are also those who express criticism, arguing that it will result in racial profiling, particularly impacting the residents of Texas.
Precinct 2 Commissioner David Stout, predicts that the implementation of this measure will result in an increase of 8,000 to 10,000 arrests in the area. Stout emphasizes that such a surge in arrests could cost the county millions of dollars, potentially necessitating the construction of a new jail facility.
According to Stout, the cost of the project is estimated to be around $250 million, with an additional annual expenditure of $40 to $50 million for jail costs.
Stout states, “Our community simply doesn’t have the financial means to cover such an enormous expense.”
According to Commissioner Stout, DPS arrested approximately 88,000 individuals last year as part of Operation Lone Star. According to him, Texas does not have enough beds in its county jails to accommodate the sheer number of people.
“Our taxpayers bear the burden of these expenses, and this short-sighted operation, along with the state-imposed law, will increase the financial responsibility for border communities, particularly El Paso,” expressed Sergio Coronado, Precinct 4 Commissioner.
El Paso County Commissioners have unanimously decided to file a lawsuit against the state of Texas following the signing of SB4. KVIA reported this news.
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