AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced four major public safety initiatives that will crack down on criminal illegal immigrants, establish a Texas statewide prosecutor, hold rogue district attorneys accountable, and ensure dangerous repeat offenders remain behind bars while awaiting trial during a press conference at the Austin Police Association headquarters.
“My top priority is to protect communities, not criminals,” said Governor Abbott. “Last session, we delivered the toughest bail reform package in Texas history. Now, we are building on that success to deny bail for illegal immigrants charged with felonies, remove rogue DAs, and get repeat offenders off the streets. The choice is clear: support the safety of citizens, or the criminals who endanger them.”
During his remarks, Governor Abbott highlighted cases where violent criminals were released from custody by rogue district attorneys with no regard for the dangerous crimes committed, placing innocent Texans and law enforcement officers’ lives in danger.
Governor Abbott pointed to the murder of Laken Riley, who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had previously been arrested and released back onto the streets before taking her life. He also highlighted the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray, the 12-year-old Houston girl who was brutally murdered by two illegal immigrants from Venezuela who were allowed into the country illegally under Joe Biden. Governor Abbott stressed that Texas should never have incidents like what happened to Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray, emphasizing that the state’s duty is to protect innocent Texans and ensure violent criminals are denied the opportunity to harm another Texan.
Governor Abbott will fight for new public safety laws next legislative session, that will:
- Automatically deny bail for illegal immigrants charged with felony crimes
- Establish a Texas Statewide Prosecutor to ensure district attorneys prosecute violent crime and assist district attorney’s offices when needed
- Impeach rogue district attorneys who fail to enforce the law and deliver timely justice
- Expand the Department of Public Safety Repeat Offender Taskforce from Houston to Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin metropolitan areas
Read more about Governor Abbott’s public safety initiatives here.
To learn more about the victims’ stories, visit the Governor’s Substack, The Texas Executive.
Additional photos of the event will be provided here when available.
