88(4) HB 40 - Introduced version - Bill Text
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibitions on the illegal entry into or illegal |
 
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presence in this state by a person who is an alien, the enforcement |
 
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of those prohibitions, and authorizing under certain circumstances |
 
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the removal of persons who violate certain of those prohibitions; |
 
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creating criminal offenses. |
 
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             BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
 
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             SECTION  1.    Title 10, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
 
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Chapter 51 to read as follows: |
 
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CHAPTER 51. ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO THIS STATE |
 
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             Sec.  51.01.    DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
 
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                         (1)    "Alien" has the meaning assigned by 8 U.S.C. |
 
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Section 1101, as that provision existed on January 1, 2023. |
 
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                         (2)    "Child" means a person younger than 18 years of |
 
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age. |
 
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                         (3)    "Port of entry" means a port of entry in the United |
 
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States as designated by 19 C.F.R. Part 101. |
 
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             Sec.  51.015.    ENFORCEMENT PROHIBITED IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS. |
 
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a peace |
 
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officer may not arrest, remove, or otherwise detain a person for |
 
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purposes of enforcing a provision of this chapter if the person is |
 
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on the premises or grounds of: |
 
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                         (1)    a public or private primary or secondary school; |
 
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                         (2)    a church, synagogue, or other established place of |
 
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religious worship; or |
 
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                         (3)    a hospital licensed under Chapter 241, Health and |
 
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Safety Code. |
 
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             Sec.  51.016.    ENFORCEMENT PROHIBITED IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS. |
 
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a peace |
 
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officer may not arrest, remove, or otherwise detain a person for |
 
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purposes of enforcing a provision of this chapter if, for purposes |
 
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of obtaining a forensic medical examination and treatment, the |
 
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person is on the premises or grounds of a SAFE-ready facility, as |
 
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defined by Section 323.001, Health and Safety Code, or another |
 
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facility that provides forensic medical examinations to sexual |
 
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assault survivors in accordance with Chapter 323, Health and Safety |
 
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Code. |
 
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             Sec.  51.02.    ILLEGAL ENTRY FROM FOREIGN NATION. (a) A |
 
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person who is an alien commits an offense if the person enters or |
 
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attempts to enter this state directly from a foreign nation at any |
 
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location other than a lawful port of entry. |
 
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             (b)    An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, |
 
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except that the offense is a state jail felony if it is shown on the |
 
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trial of the offense that the defendant has been previously |
 
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convicted of an offense under this section. |
 
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             (c)    It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this |
 
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section that: |
 
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                         (1)    the federal government has granted the defendant: |
 
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                                     (A)    lawful presence in the United States; or |
 
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                                     (B)    asylum under 8 U.S.C. Section 1158; |
 
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                         (2)    the defendant's conduct does not constitute a |
 
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violation of 8 U.S.C. Section 1325(a); or |
 
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                         (3)    the defendant was approved for benefits under the |
 
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federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program between June |
 
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15, 2012, and July 16, 2021. |
 
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             (d)    The following federal programs do not provide an |
 
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affirmative defense for purposes of Subsection (c)(1): |
 
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                         (1)    the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and |
 
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Lawful Permanent Residents program; and |
 
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                         (2)    any program not enacted by the United States |
 
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Congress that is a successor to or materially similar to the program |
 
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described by Subsection (c)(3) or Subdivision (1). |
 
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             (e)    Notwithstanding any other law, a peace officer who is |
 
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charging a person detained for a violation of this section with |
 
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committing an offense under this section may, in lieu of arresting |
 
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| Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()