The Texas Senate has passed a bill that would create a new crime for foreigners who enter the state illegally and would authorize law enforcement to arrest potential offenders anywhere in the state. The bill, SB 2424, cleared the state Senate last week. SB 2424 would create a new state-level criminal offense called “improper entry from foreign nation,” carrying a penalty of up to one year in jail for first-time offenders, two years in state jail for second-time offenders, and up to life in prison for convicted felons who illegally cross the border. If the bill becomes a law, it would allow state law enforcement officers to arrest and prosecute offenders anywhere in Texas.
