While the fight to cease “sanctuary cities” has been averted in Congress, at least temporarily, the topic continues with Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Abbott is challenging Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez for her new policy regarding detained immigrants. Valdez announced her county jail will not jail immigrants on behalf of federal immigration officials past the detainee's release date. Her action is often referred to as "sanctuary city" policy, which limits the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), from cooperating with local law enforcement.

The sanctuary city policy has been in effect by 300 U.S. counties and cities including Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco.

Abbott has been making the media rounds to voice his frustration with Valdez acting "unilaterally" on refusing to cooperate with ICE. He has appeared on "The Kelly File," "The Sean Hannity Show" and "Dana" on The Blaze TV.

In a statement released through his gubernatorial office, Abbott said the cooperation with ICE is designed to prevent criminals who pose a threat to communities.

"'Sanctuary City' policies like those promoted by your recent decision to implement your own case-by-case immigrant detention plan will no longer be tolerated in Texas," Abbott wrote in the letter to Valdez. "Your decision to not fully honor ICE's requests to detain criminal immigrants poses a serious danger to Texans. These detainers provide ICE with the critical notice and time it needs to take incarcerated immigrants into federal custody."

Abbott said he, using the state's resources, would take action against Valdez as an effort to "protect" Texans.

"Now more than ever, it is essential that state, federal and local law enforcement work collaboratively to protect our fellow Texans and to ensure that our laws are upheld, not disregarded," Abbott later wrote.

Abbott's potential actions against the sheriff includes passing laws prohibiting "sanctuary city" policies, prohibit sheriff departments from not cooperating with federal immigration detainer requests, amend law to have counties financially responsible for the actions of any released "illegal" immigrant that was not honored through ICE and evaluate "the extent to which local taxpayers should foot the bill for local decisions that increase costs for Texas' health and education systems."

Valdez does have her supporters, who claimed the governor and "other extremist groups are stirring up hate and racism across the country. Juana Guzman, from the North Texas Immigration Coalition, in a statement sent to Latin Post, said Valdez is providing more accountability within her community as a result of the new policy.

"Sheriff Valdez needs to be accountable to her own community, and Greg Abbott should stay out of it because she doesn't even understand the law or how to provide true community safety. His attacks against immigrant communities for political gain will not stop progress on equal rights for immigrants living in Texas," said Guzman.

The Texas Organizing Project (TOP), a civic engagement group, backed Valdez for improving trust and safety by not honoring ICE's requests who were accused of minor offenses.

"Valdez, relying on her and her officers' law enforcement experience, and research that shows that cooperation with immigration enforcement erodes the trust of the community, made the best choice for her department and for her county. She should be applauded for doing the right thing, even while knowing it would pit her against the governor and his tea party cohorts," said Brianna Brown, director of TOP's Dallas County office.

Brown added that Abbott's effort is "further proof" he doesn't care about people of color.

"From refusing Medicaid expansion to stopping President Obama's executive action that would have given more than 700,000 Texans temporary relief of deportation to his ongoing dismantling of our public schools, Gov. Abbott has shown an alarming consistency in opposing measures that would allow people of color a chance at opportunity," said Brown.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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