The State of Texas is cracking down on human smuggling with a new law that took effect on February 6, vaulting the minimum sentence to a stark 10 years behind bars, a jarring leap from the previous minimum of two years. As per a bill signed by Governor Greg Abbott in December, as reported by CBS Austin, the law also targets those operating so-called "stash houses" with at least a five-year sentence.
Human smuggling at our border puts our state—and nation—at risk.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 9, 2024
Texas will not sit by and allow Biden’s open border policies to endanger lives.
Last month, I signed a new law instituting a mandatory ten-year minimum prison sentence for human smuggling in Texas. pic.twitter.com/Z38eigKxyU
According to the Governor, back in 2017, the state recorded a mere 370 human smuggling arrests, which erupted to an eye-popping 7,700 arrests in 2023 highlighting a desperate need for sterner legislation, the dire need for such laws is fiercely rebutted by Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights, who told CBS Austin that the vague state law is a veiled attempt to "punish and criminalize Latino immigrant families in Texas."
In the face of opposition, Republican Rep. Ryan Guillen spoke on the state House floor, insisting that Texas must showcase "zero tolerance" towards smugglers while the bill ensures to provide law enforcement with the needed tools to protect against such criminals. Conversely, opponents argue that this harsh new law could grow racial profiling instead of combating crime, this sentiment was shared by Nick Hudson from the ACLU of Texas in a statement to Community Impact, who argued that SB 4 skyrocketed taxpayers' burden by over $1 billion annually.
Meanwhile, amid the legal tug o’ war that Texas finds itself in with the federal government over its forceful border policies, which includes Abbott’s signing of two other immigration bills one of which, as mentioned in Community Impact, authorizes Texas to arrest and potentially deport migrants arriving illegally, a power traditionally held only by the federal domain. This imposing suite of immigration laws is scheduled to come into force on March 5, despite the legal scuffles and the protests orchestrated by human rights activists that stretch across the expanse of Texas, a story that continues to unfold on the hotly contested U.S.-Mexico frontier.
