Texas Republicans introduced a bill in the state House that would provide certain citizens the authority to arrest migrants who have illegally crossed the U.S.- Mexico border. Republicans have been pushing President Joe Biden for more changes that would help secure the southern border following an influx in migrant crossings over the last few months.
In the fall, many GOP-led states, including Texas started transporting migrants with buses to Democratic-run cities like Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. The move was meant to help bring further attention to the “open-border” policies followed by the administration.
On Friday, Texas State Representative Matt Shaefer filed House Bill 20 which would help increase the authority and control that the state has over its border. According to the new bill a new Texas Border Protection Unit would be formed which would have the right to “arrest, detain, and deter individuals crossing the border illegally, including with the use of non-deadly force.”
Under this bill, the unit’s selected chief can employ “law-abiding citizens without a felony conviction” to join the unit. However, according to the proposal citizens will not be allowed to make arrests unless they have received proper training and authorization from the governor.
The bill would also require the state governor, currently, Republican Greg Abbott, to “appoint a citizen of the United States” as the Border Protection Unit’s chief. The chief along with their deputy and assistant chiefs would have an annual salary determined “by the legislature.”
