So this morning at 3am Texas \u2013 which for all its recent rock-ribbed Republicanism had been pretty loosey-goosey here \u2013 passed legislation against \u201csanctuary\u201d policies.\n
\nDoesn\u2019t affirmatively compel local agencies to crack down and I\u2019m 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 \u201cpattern or practice\u201d of resistance to, or less than full cooperation with anyone \u2013 ICE, your own officers \u2013 who wants to crack down.\n
\nHaven\u2019t seen much in the national press, maybe missed deadlines for today\u2019s news cycles, but that\u2019s something. Represents a shift from \u201csuit\u201d to \u201ccamo\u201d Republicanism, the oilman/developer/rancher types held this stuff back before.\n
\nI am interested the extent to which this\u2019ll 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; \u201cunleash blue city cops to the extent they remake themselves as illegal-hunters\u201d is an idea that could change a lot of things right quick\n
\nAn interesting note, as presented by the majority GOP the bill was softer \u2013 the relatively moderate House didn\u2019t 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 \u201cno"s on record, and generally burn time.\n
\n(The Texas legislature holds session only 140 days every other year \u2013 and only takes up policy in the last third or so \u2013with the effect and for the purpose of throttling its output. This was also behind the 2013 Wendy Davis \u201cpink shoes\u201d filibuster - burning a whole legislative day is a bigger deal in Texas, especially with the end of session looming.)\n
\nAnd the Republicans were like \u201cok no, we\u2019ll give you some time to grandstand, but if you want to play cute we\u2019ll enter our own amendment that\u2019ll actually pass and you\u2019ll get the mean version.\u201d 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.
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