State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, has introduced House Bill 1554 in the Texas legislature to stop the use of taxpayer money for legal services for illegal foreign nationals, specifically to contest deportation efforts. The bill aims to prevent state and local entities from allocating public funds for legal aid to individuals unlawfully present in the United States under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act. Exceptions are made for indigent defendants entitled to legal representation according to the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill was proposed ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plans and the rise of sanctuary cities opposing such actions. It addresses concerns about organizations like the Vera Institute of Justice’s SAFE Network, funded by sources including the Open Society Foundation and the Biden administration. Efforts to provide legal representation for non-citizens facing deportation are ongoing in various Texas cities, with millions of taxpayer dollars already being spent in support of these services.
In 2020, the Immigrant Legal Defense Fund (ILSF) received an initial allocation of $500,000 in taxpayer money. This was followed by a subsequent allocation of $2 million for the provision of legal services to illegal foreign nationals from November 9, 2022, through November 8, 2023. The funds were designated for the ILSF in partnership with the Vera Institute and were specified to be separate from the previous year’s agreement. Additionally, Bexar County allocated an additional $2 million for the program for the 2024 calendar year.
Specifically, Bexar County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Fund allocated $1 million in 2022 to support nonprofit organizations American Gateways and RAICES in offering legal services to illegal border crossers facing deportation in the county. Furthermore, the county is promoting the availability of free legal services, funded by taxpayers, for illegal foreign nationals in removal proceedings.
The city of Austin also engaged in an agreement with American Gateways to assist in stabilizing the immigration status of both detained and non-detained immigrants residing in Austin/Travis County. This agreement was valued at over $2 million for the fiscal year 2023-2024, following previous approvals of more than $1.8 million in fiscal 2021-2022 and $975,000 in 2019, all funded by taxpayers.
Similarly, the city of San Antonio partnered with American Gateways and Catholic Charities to provide free legal representation for illegal border crossers facing deportation. In September 2021, the city council approved $1.5 million in taxpayer funds to support services for illegal foreign nationals offered through nonprofit organizations such as Catholic Charities of San Antonio, American Gateways, Lutheran Immigration Services, and American Organization for Immigrants.
In light of these developments, Capriglione’s bill aims to restrict localities from using taxpayer money to finance legal defense programs for illegal immigrants.
