Texas House to vote on sanctuary cities bill

DALLAS - The Texas House on Wednesday will debate a proposal to punish cities and counties that refused to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

The sanctuary cities bill already passed the state senate. It would withhold some state funds from local governments and from state colleges and universities.

It would also require law enforcement agencies, including jails, to hold people for possible deportation if they are asked by federal authorities.

At least two House Democrats are on a hunger strike against the bill and will try to slow debate with a series of proposed changes that majority Republicans can easily vote down. Dallas State Rep. Victoria Neave is one of those lawmakers on a hunger strike until after the vote.

Miguel Solis, a member of the Dallas School Board, is also chartering a bus to Austin to bring protesters.

Meanwhile, a federal judge in San Francisco stopped President Donald Trump from withholding money from sanctuary cities.

The president issued an executive order threatening to cut off some funds to cities that he says protect criminal illegal immigrants. The lawsuit was filed by the city of San Francisco.

The ruling and the judge were quickly attacked by the White House.