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What to know as Texas nears passing ‘sanctuary city’ law

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2017, file photo, Texas state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, the sponsor of a bill that allows the state to withhold funding from local governments for acting as sanctuary cities, speaks during debate on the proposal at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. The GOP-led Senate passed the bill Wednesday, May 3 despite objections from Democrats. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged to sign the bill into law. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2017, file photo, Texas state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, the sponsor of a bill that allows the state to withhold funding from local governments for acting as sanctuary cities, speaks during debate on the proposal at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. The GOP-led Senate passed the bill Wednesday, May 3 despite objections from Democrats. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged to sign the bill into law. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

By Associated Press 3 min read

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – What to know about a Texas bill targeting so-called ‘sanctuary cities’ that is heading to the desk of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has pledged to sign the measure that immigrant-rights activists say will lead to profiling and discrimination.

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COMPARISONS TO ARIZONA’S LAW

Opponents blast the Texas bill as a version of Arizona’s immigration crackdown law, SB 1070, which launched protests, lawsuits and national controversy in 2010.

But the Texas and Arizona bills are not identical. Whereas the Arizona law required police to try to determine the immigration status of people during routine stops, the Texas bill doesn’t instruct officers to ask. But it does allow Texas police to inquire whether a person is in the country legally, even if they’re not under arrest.