Texas Senate Advances Immigration and Water Bills

The Texas Senate has unanimously passed Senate Bill 7, initiating a permanent funding stream of one billion dollars annually for water infrastructure projects, with an emphasis on finding new water sources such as desalination and reservoir projects. Senate Bill 8, also approved by the Texas Senate, mandates sheriffs in counties with populations over 100,000 to enter 287(g) agreements with ICE, assisting in immigration enforcement. This bill includes a $20 million grant for counties with less than one million residents to help cover costs and allows the state Attorney General to sue non-compliant sheriffs. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick supports the bill, citing safety concerns over undocumented immigrants, while some local officials have shown reluctance due to previous withdrawals from similar programs. Concerns have been raised about the potential overreach of local law enforcement's authority during routine stops and detentions. The bill, which passed in the Senate, now heads to the Texas House of Representatives, with potential implementation in September 2025.