Texas Cops Must Comply With Federal Immigration Detainers: New Orleans Court

NEW ORLEANS, LA — A federal appeals court in New Orleans ruled that Texas' "sanctuary cities" law can force police officers to abide by federal immigration detainers, for now.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision Monday — nearly a month after a lower court judge blocked the majority of the law, which was signed in May by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. One of the key parts of the law requires Texas police and sheriffs to comply with federal immigration requests to detain people who are suspected of being in the country illegally and are jailed for non-immigration reasons.

Police chiefs and sheriffs could face jail time if they fail to comply with the law. (For more information on the Texas "sanctuary cities" law and other New Orleans stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the ruling as now allowing the state to "enforce the core" of the law.

But attorney Nina Perales, who opposes the law, said the effect of the order might be limited. Perales said she didn't interpret the ruling to mean all detainer requests are now mandatory.

Photo credit: Stacey Plaisance Jenkins/Associated Press