While Walle was the most colorful in his confrontation with Texas Republicans, he is far from the only one criticizing the bill. Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos, who recorded the video of Walle and uploaded it, wrote on social media that supporters of the bill are “cowards” who “are silencing the voice of Texans across the state who chose US to represent them.”

What cowards we have on the other side of the aisle. They can’t even allow full and fair debate over their trash bills. They are silencing the voice of Texans across the state who chose US to represent them at the #TXLege. TEXAS CANNOT FORGET THIS DAY. pic.twitter.com/an8yTaSrPs

— Representative Ana-Maria Ramos (@Ramos4Texas) October 25, 2023

Rep. Gina Hinojosa complained on social media that the bill would allow officers to seize American citizens who weren’t carrying ID and simply seize them and drop them off across the border. “No judge. No evidence,” she tweeted, adding, “This is not border security; this is insanity.”

In this 3rd #txlege Special Session, the Texas House just passed House Bill 4 that empowers any officer to detain any person in any part of Texas & take them to the Mexico border.

No judge. No evidence. This is not border security; this is insanity. https://t.co/4nCVCWJVpl pic.twitter.com/Ij0w4FLWyD

— Gina Hinojosa (@GinaForAustin) October 26, 2023

Despite the opposition from Texas Democrats, these and other restrictive laws are likely to continue to be passed as long as Republicans control the Texas state government. And more fights over these laws will pop up in Texas and elsewhere as the Southern border remains a political lightning rod for controversy and partisan battles.

Illegal immigration

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