Mike Stone/Reuters
The Texas Legislature has passed a bill that will threaten police with jail time if they don’t cooperate with federal authorities in dealing with undocumented immigrants. The legislation was passed despite harsh criticism from Democrats, who say it will lead to discrimination against certain groups. The bill has yet to be signed into law, but Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to sign it. The legislation also allows state authorities to withhold funding from any local governments that defy the order. Under the legislation, police will be allowed to ask about the immigration status of any person they stop, even if it’s for a minor traffic violation. Republican lawmakers touted the bill as a necessary measure to uphold the law, while Democrats were more skeptical about how it would be applied. “We don’t want walking while brown to become reasonable suspicion,” Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.