The Texas legislature convened in Austin on Tuesday. The lawmakers gather once every two years. And in regard to cracking down on illegal immigration, the political pendulum swing is certainly in evidence this time around. In January 2011, Governor Rick Perry gave the traditional opening remarks to the 82nd Texas legislature and he made it clear: He wanted a crackdown on illegal immigration. “We must abolish sanctuary cities in Texas,” he said. Perry told the lawmakers he was making an anti-sanctuary cities law an emergency item. He wanted a Texas version of Arizona’s SB 1070. Perry wanted police officers checking the immigration status of anyone they suspected wasn’t properly authorized to be in the country. “We need to free up our peace officers to do their job keeping our families and neighborhoods safe. Immigration laws and their enforcement are the responsibility of the federal government we cannot compound their failure by preventing Texas peace officers from doing their jobs
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