Sanctuary Cities Banned In Texas As Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Bill Amid Protests

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into a law a ban on sanctuary cities in the state, Sunday. The law will prohibit cities from using the "sanctuary" status that stops local law enforcement officials from conducting an investigation about the immigration status of any person they detain.

Abbott signed the bill live on Facebook and posted along with it saying: "Citizens expect law enforcement officers to enforce the law. Citizens deserve law breakers to face legal consequences."

The new measure is scheduled to go into effect Sept. 1, according to the governor’s office. If violated, government officials and entities can be fined up to $25,500 for each day of violation.

According to the governor’s office, this measure was one of Abbott’s emergency legislative priorities.

“As Governor, my top priority is public safety, and this bill furthers that objective by keeping dangerous criminals off our streets," Abbott said. "It's inexcusable to release individuals from jail that have been charged with heinous crimes like sexual assault against minors, domestic violence and robbery,” his office said in a press release.

The press release from Gov. Abbott's office also mentioned that if government entities and officials do not comply with the law they could face the following penalties:

• A civil penalty for entities in violation of the law of up to $25,500 for each day of the violation.

• A class A misdemeanor for a sheriff, chief of police, or constable who fails to comply with federal immigration detainee requests

• Removal from office for any elected or appointed official who does not comply with the law.

In a statement obtained by NBC News, Sunday, Terri Burke, executive director of the ACLU of Texas, said the organization is planning to challenge the bill "in the courts, at the ballot box and in the streets if we have to."

"This is an assault on humanity," Burke said. "It will not stand."

Abbott signed the bill with no prior warning. There have been numerous protests surrounding the Texas bill in the last few months and recently last week around 20 people were charged with criminal trespassing because they were conducting a day-long sit-in at a state building where some of Abbott’s staff were said to work.

Democratic state Rep. Cesar Blanco said it appeared like Abbott "wanted to get ahead" of any protests surrounding the signing of the bill. Abbott’s spokesman John Wittman said they preferred to sign the bill on a Facebook livestream because that's "where most people are getting their news nowadays."

President Donald Trump in January signed an executive order meant to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities. The order said it would "strip federal grant money from the sanctuary states and cities that harbor illegal immigrants," Press Secretary Sean Spicer had said the, according to CNN.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had proposed to cut down federal funds from the so-called sanctuary cities and states that would not obey immigration laws. Abbott applauded Sessions' actions and said: "After years of the previous administration turning a blind eye to this issue, the federal government is sending a clear and necessary message that the laws of this land are going to be enforced.”