Local leaders and organizations in Tyler, Texas, are actively engaging residents to discuss the implications of SB4, slated to take effect on March 5.
Immigration Attorney Ginger Young from Flowers Davis P.L.L.C. expressed concerns about the law’s impact, stating that it has left many in the community feeling uneasy. In response, Young, alongside the non-profit Monarca Initiative, organized informational sessions throughout the month to address residents’ inquiries.
“I have clients who have been here 10, 15, 20 years, with U.S. citizen children considering leaving the country because of this law,” Young remarked.
SB4 seeks to criminalize illegal entry into Texas from Mexico, granting Texas police officers the authority to apprehend and potentially deport individuals suspected of being undocumented.
Bianca Smedley, Community Response Officer for the City of Tyler, weighed in on how this newfound authority might affect the operations of Tyler’s Police Department once the law takes effect.
“In Chapter 51 of the penal code, it mentions port of entry, and the City of Tyler does not have a port of entry. Therefore, we have no grounds to suspect anyone of crossing the border illegally,” Smedley explained.
Moreover, SB4 would elevate the minimum sentence for smuggling immigrants into the state from two to ten years, a provision that Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith anticipates enforcing.
“Regardless of their citizenship status, if individuals are harboring or transporting undocumented immigrants, we will enforce that aspect of Senate Bill 4,” Sheriff Smith affirmed.
Tyler PD clarified that routine family transportations of immigrant relatives or acquaintances within the city would not be affected. During traffic stops and misdemeanors, officers will maintain their standard operating procedures. Officer Smedley emphasized that citizenship status inquiries would not be made during such encounters.
“We won’t be asking for citizenship status or anything like that,” Smedley assured.
However, for more serious offenses such as class A misdemeanors like DWIs, officers may require additional documentation, including proof of citizenship.
Sheriff Smith, also the President of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas, emphasized that his department would uphold the law without resorting to profiling.
“We’re not going to profile. We’re not going to treat anybody any differently than we want to be treated. However, we are going to enforce the statutes that are enforceable, put forth by our lawmakers in Austin,” Sheriff Smith affirmed.
Despite the U.S. Justice Department’s lawsuit against the state challenging SB4, and a recent hearing in Austin, the law is still scheduled to take effect in March.