In Response To 'Sanctuary' Law, ACLU Warns Against Traveling To Texas

KUT 90.5 | By KUT Staff

Published May 9, 2017 at 4:07 PM CDT

Demonstrators protest Senate Bill 4, the so-called sanctuary cities bill, at the state Capitol last month.

The American Civil Liberties Union has issued an advisory for people planning to travel to Texas in response to the "sanctuary cities" bill Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Sunday.

The advisory cautions people traveling to Texas to "anticipate the possible violation of their constitutional rights when stopped by law enforcement."

The ACLU cites the fact that the law, which has already been challenged in court, will require local law enforcement to cooperate with federal detainer requests and allow officers to question a person's immigration status during a traffic stop or other routine detention.

“The ACLU’s goal is to protect all Texans and all people traveling through Texas — regardless of their immigration status — from illegal harassment by law enforcement,” said Lorella Praeli, ACLU director of immigration policy and campaigns. “Texas is a state with deep Mexican roots and home to immigrants from all walks of life. Many of us fit the racial profile that the police in Texas will use to enforce Trump’s draconian deportation force.”

The U.S. State Department issues warnings against traveling to certain nations where safety may be a concern.

The law is expected to go into effect Sept. 1.