Texas House approves a bill targeting 'sanctuary cities'AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The Republican-dominated Texas House of Representative approved on Thursday a bill to punish so-called “sanctuary cities” over criticism from Democrats that the measure could lead to unconstitutional racial profiling. The bill comes as Republican U.S. President Donald Trump has made combating illegal immigration a priority. Texas, which has an estimated 1.5 million undocumented immigrants and the longest border with Mexico of any U.S. state, has been at the forefront of the immigration debate. Texas’ Republican leaders have embraced Trump’s calls to punish localities they believe are shielding immigrants in the country illegally. Any anti-sanctuary city measure may face a tough road after a federal judge this week blocked Trump’s executive order seeking to withhold funds from local authorities that do not use their resources to advance federal immigration laws. On a party line vote after about 16 hours of emotional debate, the Texas House approved the bill that would punish local authorities who do not abide by requests to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Police who do not cooperate with immigration authorities could be subject to fines and prosecution for a Class A misdemeanor, which can bring up to a year imprisonment.  The bill also allows police to ask people about their immigration status during a lawful detention, even for minor infractions like jay-walking. The bill will have to be reconciled with another bill approved by the Texas Senate. Republican Governor Greg Abbott has said he would sign such a measure into law. “This bill has no effect on illegal immigrants if they have not committed a crime or are hanging out with someone who has,” bill sponsor Republican Charlie Geren told the House. Under questioning, Geren told lawmakers there are no local authorities in Texas at present that he would consider a “sanctuary city.” Rene Oliveira, a Democratic representative from the border city of Brownsville, said the bill has sent a chill through immigrant communities worried that even people in the United States legally can be picked up by police for minor infractions and subject to a process aimed at deportation. As the Texas House debated the measure, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, who runs one of the nation’s largest police forces, criticized the bill. “Violent crime is on rise across our Nation & some would rather men & women in blue go after cooks & nannies, instead of hardened criminals,” he wrote on Twitter. politicsNews
texas house approves bill targeting texas reuters the texas house representative approved thursday bill punish sanctuary cities criticism democrats measure could lead unconstitutional racial profiling the bill comes republican president donald trump made combating illegal immigration priority texas estimated million undocumented immigrants longest border mexico state forefront immigration debate texas republican leaders embraced trump calls punish localities believe shielding immigrants country illegally any city measure may face tough road federal judge week blocked trump executive order seeking withhold funds local authorities use resources advance federal immigration laws on party line vote hours emotional debate texas house approved bill would punish local authorities abide requests cooperate federal immigration authorities police cooperate immigration authorities could subject fines prosecution class a misdemeanor bring year imprisonment the bill also allows police ask people immigration status lawful detention even minor infractions like the bill reconciled another bill approved texas senate republican governor greg abbott said would sign measure law this bill effect illegal immigrants committed crime hanging someone bill sponsor republican charlie green told house under questioning green told lawmakers local authorities texas present would consider sanctuary rene oliver democratic representative border city brownsville said bill sent chill immigrant communities worried even people united states legally picked police minor infractions subject process aimed deportation as texas house debated measure houston police chief art acevedo runs one nation largest police forces criticized bill violent crime rise across nation would rather men women blue go cooks cannes instead hardened criminals wrote twitter politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Texas House approves a bill targeting 'sanctuary cities'AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The Republican-dominated Texas House of Representative approved on Thursday a bill to punish so-called “sanctuary cities” over criticism from Democrats that the measure could lead to unconstitutional racial profiling. The bill comes as Republican U.S. President Donald Trump has made combating illegal immigration a priority. Texas, which has an estimated 1.5 million undocumented immigrants and the longest border with Mexico of any U.S. state, has been at the forefront of the immigration debate. Texas’ Republican leaders have embraced Trump’s calls to punish localities they believe are shielding immigrants in the country illegally. Any anti-sanctuary city measure may face a tough road after a federal judge this week blocked Trump’s executive order seeking to withhold funds from local authorities that do not use their resources to advance federal immigration laws. On a party line vote after about 16 hours of emotional debate, the Texas House approved the bill that would punish local authorities who do not abide by requests to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Police who do not cooperate with immigration authorities could be subject to fines and prosecution for a Class A misdemeanor, which can bring up to a year imprisonment.  The bill also allows police to ask people about their immigration status during a lawful detention, even for minor infractions like jay-walking. The bill will have to be reconciled with another bill approved by the Texas Senate. Republican Governor Greg Abbott has said he would sign such a measure into law. “This bill has no effect on illegal immigrants if they have not committed a crime or are hanging out with someone who has,” bill sponsor Republican Charlie Geren told the House. Under questioning, Geren told lawmakers there are no local authorities in Texas at present that he would consider a “sanctuary city.” Rene Oliveira, a Democratic representative from the border city of Brownsville, said the bill has sent a chill through immigrant communities worried that even people in the United States legally can be picked up by police for minor infractions and subject to a process aimed at deportation. As the Texas House debated the measure, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, who runs one of the nation’s largest police forces, criticized the bill. “Violent crime is on rise across our Nation & some would rather men & women in blue go after cooks & nannies, instead of hardened criminals,” he wrote on Twitter. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: texas house approves bill targeting texas reuters the texas house representative approved thursday bill punish sanctuary cities criticism democrats measure could lead unconstitutional racial profiling the bill comes republican president donald trump made combating illegal immigration priority texas estimated million undocumented immigrants longest border mexico state forefront immigration debate texas republican leaders embraced trump calls punish localities believe shielding immigrants country illegally any city measure may face tough road federal judge week blocked trump executive order seeking withhold funds local authorities use resources advance federal immigration laws on party line vote hours emotional debate texas house approved bill would punish local authorities abide requests cooperate federal immigration authorities police cooperate immigration authorities could subject fines prosecution class a misdemeanor bring year imprisonment the bill also allows police ask people immigration status lawful detention even minor infractions like the bill reconciled another bill approved texas senate republican governor greg abbott said would sign measure law this bill effect illegal immigrants committed crime hanging someone bill sponsor republican charlie green told house under questioning green told lawmakers local authorities texas present would consider sanctuary rene oliver democratic representative border city brownsville said bill sent chill immigrant communities worried even people united states legally picked police minor infractions subject process aimed deportation as texas house debated measure houston police chief art acevedo runs one nation largest police forces criticized bill violent crime rise across nation would rather men women blue go cooks cannes instead hardened criminals wrote twitter politicsnews