WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The ACLU said the law could lead to widespread racial profiling and illegal arrests of US citizens and noncitizens based on whether they sound or look like foreigners.
"The alert comes amid the passing of a Texas law known as SB4," the alert stated. "The law gives a green light to police officers in the state to investigate a person’s immigration status during a routine traffic stop."
SB4 requires Texas police to comply with US federal detainer requests, which require local departments to hold individuals in custody until US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) determines their immigration status.
In the 2008-2012 period ICE requested local police hold 834 US citizens, some of whom spent time in jail, the alert said.
On April 3, ICE said 153 people arrested in a Texas immigration raid the previous month had prior criminal records, including assault, smuggling, sexual assault and burglary.
