| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to an interstate compact on border security and |
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| 8 | 8 | | immigration enforcement. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding |
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| 11 | 11 | | Chapter 793 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | CHAPTER 793. INTERSTATE COMPACT FOR BORDER SECURITY |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 793.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "illegal alien" |
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| 14 | 14 | | means a person who: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) is not a citizen or national of the United States; |
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| 16 | 16 | | and |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) is unlawfully present in the United States |
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| 18 | 18 | | according to the terms of 8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq. |
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| 19 | 19 | | Sec. 793.002. AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE INTERSTATE COMPACT. On |
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| 20 | 20 | | behalf of this state, the governor may: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) coordinate, develop, and execute an interstate |
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| 22 | 22 | | compact for border security among interested states; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) seek the approval of the United States Congress |
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| 24 | 24 | | for the compact. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 793.003. CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL. The compact |
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| 26 | 26 | | authorized by this chapter takes effect only if approved by the |
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| 27 | 27 | | United States Congress not later than the 10th anniversary of the |
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| 28 | 28 | | date the compact is executed by the governor under Section 793.002. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Sec. 793.004. INTERSTATE COMPACT PROVISIONS. The compact |
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| 30 | 30 | | authorized by this chapter must provide for joint action among |
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| 31 | 31 | | compacting states on matters that include: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) the operational control of this state's border |
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| 33 | 33 | | with Mexico by the total detection and apprehension or deflection |
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| 34 | 34 | | of illegal aliens attempting to cross the border into this state; |
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| 35 | 35 | | and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) any other enforcement of federal immigration laws, |
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| 37 | 37 | | including the detecting, apprehending, detaining, prosecuting, |
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| 38 | 38 | | releasing, and monitoring of illegal aliens. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 40 | 40 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 41 | 41 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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