Texas · 89th Legislature Regular Session

SJR1 Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances for illegal aliens charged with certain offenses punishable as a felony.

Direction

Immigration enforcement state immigration crimes borderAI label

Expands immigration enforcement model confidence 90%

Creates a state constitutional rule denying bail to noncitizens without lawful presence who are charged with certain felonies (after a probable-cause hearing), increasing state restrictions and consequences tied to unlawful immigration status for those accused of crimes.

An illegal alien to whom this section applies shall be denied bail pending trial if a judge or magistrate determines after a hearing that probable cause exists to believe that the person engaged in the conduct constituting the offense.

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Immigration enforcement state federal cooperationAI label

Expands immigration enforcement model confidence 80%

Defines 'illegal alien' using federal immigration-law criteria for unlawful entry, overstaying, or failure to maintain status, and ties state bail denial to that status, expanding state use of federal immigration classifications to impose additional criminal-procedure consequences.

In this section, "illegal alien" means an alien who: (1) before the date of the commission of the offense: (A) entered the United States without inspection or at any time or any place other than as designated by the United States attorney general; or (B) was admitted as a nonimmigrant and failed to maintain the nonimmigrant status under which the alien was admitted or to which it was changed under applicable federal immigration law or to comply with the conditions of the alien's status;

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber
Passed both
Governor
Law

Status: Died (session ended)

Last action: 2025-05-28: Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Filed: 2025-02-06
Sponsor: Joan Huffman R, John Smithee R, Mano DeAyala R, Mitch Little R, David Cook R, AJ Louderback R + 72 cosponsors (1 D, 71 R)

Read official text (Comm Sub)Legislature page LegiScan

Why the model tagged it this way: The joint resolution proposes a Texas constitutional amendment that expands immigration enforcement by creating a specific state rule denying bail to 'illegal aliens' (defined using federal immigration status criteria) charged with a list of serious felonies, after a probable-cause hearing. This adds state-level immigration-related consequences to the criminal justice process for noncitizens without lawful presence. No provisions address firearms, transgender issues, abortion, or custody/support topics.

Related bills

HB111 Relating to a prohibition on the installation or construction of border security infrastructure on state park property.Restricts immigration enforcement Filed
HB137 Relating to employment practices of governmental entities, state and local contractors, and private employers in this state regarding the leExpands immigration enforcement Expands immigration enforcement Filed
SB49 Relating to border protection and economic development services, programs, and other measures, including measures to recruit health care proExpands immigration enforcement Expands immigration enforcement Filed
SB273 Relating to a prohibition on the installation or construction of border security infrastructure on state park property.Restricts immigration enforcement Restricts immigration enforcement Filed

Hearings and calendar

2025-02-12 08:00 · Hearing · Senate Criminal Justice Committee Hearing E1.016

Votes

Date	Chamber	Motion	Yea-Nay
2025-02-19	S	Three day rule suspended	0-1	Failed
2025-02-19	S	Read 3rd time	28-2	Passed
2025-05-19	H	Amendment tabled RV#2933	89-55	Passed
2025-05-19	H	Amendment tabled RV#2934	86-57	Passed
2025-05-19	H	Additional sponsor(s) authorized RV#2935	88-50	Passed
2025-05-28	H	RV#3943	93-30	Passed
2025-05-28	H	Failed of adoption RV#3944	87-39	Passed

Text versions

Introduced 2025-02-07
Comm Sub 2025-02-13
Engrossed 2025-02-19
Comm Sub 2025-05-15

History (81 actions)

Date	Chamber	Action
2025-05-28	H	Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-28	H	Record vote RV#3944
2025-05-28	H	Failed of adoption
2025-05-28	H	Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-28	H	Record vote RV#3943
2025-05-28	H	Amended 2-Smithee
2025-05-28	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-28	H	Postponed 5/28/25 6:00 PM
2025-05-28	H	Point of order sustained (amendment) Rule 11, Section 6(e)
2025-05-28	H	Amendment(s) offered 1-Smithee
2025-05-28	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-27	H	Postponed 5/28/25 9:00 AM
2025-05-27	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-26	H	Postponed 5/27/25 11:00 AM
2025-05-26	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-22	H	Postponed 5/26/25 11:00 AM
2025-05-22	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-21	H	Postponed 5/22/25 12:00 PM
2025-05-21	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-21	H	Postponed 5/21/25 5:00 PM
2025-05-21	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-20	H	Postponed 5/21/25 1:00 PM
2025-05-20	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-20	H	Postponed 5/20/25 3:00 PM
2025-05-20	H	Read 3rd time
2025-05-19	H	Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-19	H	Record vote RV#2935
2025-05-19	H	Passed to 3rd reading as amended
2025-05-19	H	Additional sponsor(s) authorized
2025-05-19	H	Rules suspended
2025-05-19	H	Amendment withdrawn 4-M. González
2025-05-19	H	Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-19	H	Record vote RV#2934
2025-05-19	H	Amendment tabled 3-Romero
2025-05-19	H	Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
2025-05-19	H	Record vote RV#2933
2025-05-19	H	Amendment tabled 2-Romero
2025-05-19	H	Amended 1-Smithee
2025-05-19	H	Point of order withdrawn Rule 8, Section 1(a)(1)
2025-05-19	H	Laid out as postponed business
2025-05-19	H	Postponed
2025-05-19	H	Read 2nd time
2025-05-19	H	Placed on Constitutional Amendments Calendar
2025-05-15	H	Considered in Calendars
2025-05-15	H	Committee report sent to Calendars
2025-05-15	H	Committee report distributed
2025-05-15	H	Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
2025-05-12	H	Reported favorably as substituted
2025-05-12	H	Amendment(s) considered in committee
2025-05-12	H	Committee substitute considered in committee
2025-05-12	H	Considered in formal meeting
2025-03-25	H	Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
2025-03-25	H	Read first time
2025-02-20	H	Received from the Senate
2025-02-19	S	Reported engrossed
2025-02-19	S	Statement(s) submitted
2025-02-19	S	Statement(s) submitted
2025-02-19	S	Statement(s) submitted
2025-02-19	S	Record vote
2025-02-19	S	Passed
2025-02-19	S	Read 3rd time
2025-02-19	S	Record vote
2025-02-19	S	Three day rule suspended
2025-02-19	S	Vote recorded in Journal
2025-02-19	S	Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
2025-02-19	S	Vote recorded in Journal
2025-02-19	S	Rules suspended-Regular order of business
2025-02-19	S	Co-author authorized
2025-02-18	S	Placed on intent calendar
2025-02-18	S	Co-author authorized
2025-02-13	S	Committee report printed and distributed
2025-02-13	S	Reported favorably as substituted
2025-02-12	S	Vote taken in committee
2025-02-12	S	Testimony taken in committee
2025-02-12	S	Considered in public hearing
2025-02-12	S	Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
2025-02-11	S	Co-author authorized
2025-02-07	S	Referred to Criminal Justice
2025-02-07	S	Read first time
2025-02-06	S	Filed
2025-02-06	S	Received by the Secretary of the Senate