A state legislator in Texas is making headlines for calling immigration authorities on protesters and threatening to "put a bullet through the head" of a fellow representative on the floor of the Texas State House.

Matt Rinaldi, a Republican representing the community of Irving, Texas, called Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Capitol Monday. Assembled groups of local activists were in Austin, Texas on "sine die" or the last day of the legislative session to protest the enacting of Senate Bill 4. The law targeting "sanctuary cities" requires that state law enforcement comply with demands from federal immigration authorities and allows local police forces to inquire about the immigration status of anyone they detain.

During a heated exchange of words that appeared to get physical, Representative Rinaldi reportedly told Democratic representative Poncho Nevarez that he would shoot him in self-defense, in a Facebook post made after the incident. Rinaldi also claims that he was threatened and assaulted by other Democratic representatives who became outraged after telling them that he had called ICE after he saw several signs stating "I am illegal and here to stay."

The dispute is one of many currently being fought around the country around so-called sanctuary cities and laws that could lead to an increase of racially-profiled arrests and an increase of federal powers over local law enforcement authorities with a provision that threatens local police with jail time if they impede a federal immigration investigation. Senate Bill 4 will take affect in Texas on September 1.

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