AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A Central Texas sheriff’s announcement her agency will be scaling back its cooperation with federal immigration agents has prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to say his office will be cutting funding for the county.
The Austin American-Statesman reports Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez announced last week she is scaling back the amount of aid her department provides federal immigration agents in detaining suspects who might be in the country illegally. Travis County is home to Austin.
Hernandez’s announcement comes as Texas Republicans are gearing up for a new fight to ban so-called sanctuary cities in the current legislative session.
In response to Hernandez, Abbott tweeted his office will cut funding “for Travis County adopting sanctuary policies.”
Civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups believe such pledges can lead to racial profiling.
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