AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Senate gave final approval Saturday to a bill that would require sheriff's deputies in the state's counties that have jails to help federal authorities with immigration enforcement.

The bill still needs to get final approval from the Texas House before it can head to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk for his signature. Senate Bill 8, authored by State Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown), would mandate sheriff's offices in counties with a population of 100,000 or more that have a jail to join Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) 287(g) program. They'll help ICE identify people who are in the country illegally and remove them. 234 of the 254 counties in the state of Texas currently have a jail in them.

"This proven initiative empowers local law enforcement to work

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