This State Might Not Have Sanctuary Cities For Much Longer

Sanctuary cities in Texas might not be sanctuary cities much longer.

The Texas House passed a bill Thursday that would allow local police to question a person's immigration status during arrest.

It would also require local police to enforce national immigration law. If they don't, they could face charges and jail time.

So-called sanctuary cities are areas that shelter undocumented immigrants and limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

They've been a major focal point of the Trump administration. President Donald Trump vowed to punish them on the campaign trail and as president.

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In January, Trump signed an order to do just that. But in late April, a federal judge blocked the order from being enforced.

The Texas House debated the bill for nearly 16 hours. Votes in the Republican-dominated chamber fell largely along party lines.

If the state Senate approves the bill, it'll make its way to the governor, who's indicated he will sign it into law.