Greg Abbott is vowing to pursue legislation to "remove from office" any official who promotes sanctuary cities -- potentially raising the stakes for local sheriffs and mayors who defy federal law. The proposal also could set up a legal showdown between local and state officials in the Lone Star State. Abbott announced the legislation in an interview Wednesday with "Fox & Friends," saying he and fellow Republicans in the Texas legislature are working to ban sanctuary cities and impose financial and criminal penalties on officials who fail to comply. "We are working on laws that will ... ban sanctuary cities [and] remove from office any officer-holder who promotes sanctuary cities," he said. President Trump also signed an executive order on Wednesday threatening to cut off federal grant money for sanctuary cities and states.

Source: Fox News January 26, 2017 18:00 UTC