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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provisions required in an interstate compact on |
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border security. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 794, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 794.0001 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 794.0001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "illegal |
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alien" means a person who: |
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(1) is not a citizen or national of the United States; |
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and |
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(2) is unlawfully present in the United States |
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according to the terms of 8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq. |
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SECTION 2. Section 794.003, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 794.003. INTERSTATE COMPACT PROVISIONS. The compact |
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authorized by this chapter must provide for joint action among |
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compacting states on matters that include: |
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(1) sharing law enforcement intelligence on illegal |
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activity occurring at the border with Mexico; |
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(2) sharing state resources in order to build a |
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physical barrier, a comprehensive technological surveillance |
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system, or both, on state land to deter or detect illegal activity |
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occurring at the border with Mexico; [and] |
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(3) sharing other law enforcement resources to ensure |
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the protection of personnel and property; |
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(4) to the greatest extent possible given the |
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resources available, ensuring the operational control of the |
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Texas-Mexico border through the detection and apprehension or |
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deflection of illegal aliens attempting to cross that border into |
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this state; |
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(5) enforcing federal immigration laws, including the |
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laws governing detecting, apprehending, detaining, prosecuting, |
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releasing, and monitoring illegal aliens; and |
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(6) providing mutual support for the resources, |
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including infrastructure, equipment, software, and personnel, that |
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are necessary or convenient to ensure that the purposes described |
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by this section are adequately supported and achieved. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act to Chapter |
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794, Government Code, apply only to an interstate compact entered |
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into under that chapter on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An interstate compact entered into under that chapter before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the interstate compact was entered into, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |