So this morning at 3am Texas – which for all its recent rock-ribbed Republicanism had been pretty loosey-goosey here – passed legislation against “sanctuary” policies.

Doesn’t affirmatively compel local agencies to crack down and I’m not sure they could, bar direct state takeover (which can happen - unlike federal/state dual sovereignty, American local government has no authority beyond what states allow it). What it does do is prohibit - on threat of criminal penalties and removal from office - any formal policy or unspoken “pattern or practice” of resistance to, or less than full cooperation with anyone – ICE, your own officers – who wants to crack down.

Haven’t seen much in the national press, maybe missed deadlines for today’s news cycles, but that’s something. Represents a shift from “suit” to “camo” Republicanism, the oilman/developer/rancher types held this stuff back before.

I am interested the extent to which this’ll allow frontline and ranking career cops to shuck their elected or politically appointed chiefs so long as they can frame it as anti-immigration. God knows in this Which Lives Matter age cops have been chafing under Democratic leadership; “unleash blue city cops to the extent they remake themselves as illegal-hunters” is an idea that could change a lot of things right quick

An interesting note, as presented by the majority GOP the bill was softer – the relatively moderate House didn’t want to bar policies against investigating status of people detained but not arrested. But the Democrats piled on hundreds of doomed amendments for a chance to perform #resistance, put GOP “no"s on record, and generally burn time.

(The Texas legislature holds session only 140 days every other year – and only takes up policy in the last third or so –with the effect and for the purpose of throttling its output. This was also behind the 2013 Wendy Davis “pink shoes” filibuster - burning a whole legislative day is a bigger deal in Texas, especially with the end of session looming.)

And the Republicans were like “ok no, we’ll give you some time to grandstand, but if you want to play cute we’ll enter our own amendment that’ll actually pass and you’ll get the mean version.” And the Dems played cute, so party-line vote after party-line vote and at 3am they threw in the towel and got the mean version.