Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
Austin, TX- Senate Bill 8, a key piece of legislation focused on immigration enforcement, concluded its journey through the Texas Legislature on June 2, 2025. The bill mandates that Texas sheriffs and local law enforcement agencies actively cooperate with federal immigration authorities, further cementing the state’s position as one of the most aggressive in asserting a role in immigration enforcement.
Under SB 8, local law enforcement will be required to comply with detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and provide federal authorities access to detained individuals suspected of immigration violations. The bill also sets guidelines for communication between state and federal agencies and introduces penalties for jurisdictions that fail to comply.
What’s Next?
With the legislative session closed and SB 8 passed by both chambers of the Texas Legislature, the bill now awaits action from Governor Greg Abbott. The next step in the legislative process is for the governor to either sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.
• If signed, the bill will become law and take effect on the date specified in the bill text (typically September 1 of the same year, unless otherwise noted).
• If vetoed, lawmakers could attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
• If the governor takes no action within ten days (excluding Sundays) while the Legislature is in session, or 20 days after adjournment if they are not, the bill automatically becomes law.
Governor Abbott has been a vocal advocate of state-level immigration enforcement in the past, making it likely that SB 8 will soon become law.
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