Jeff Davis County Officials Table Decision on Second Amendment Resolution

Jeff Davis County Commissioners have sidelined a decision on becoming a "Second Amendment Sanctuary" — a designation two other West Texas counties have taken up this year.

The resolution was brought before county officials during a special meeting Monday, but it was soon tabled to give commissioners more time to learn about what the resolution would mean for local governance. It's unclear right now if the resolution will appear on the agenda for the next commissioners court, which is scheduled for Sept. 9.

In March, Hudspeth County adopted a "Second Amendment Sanctuary" ordinance, becoming the first West Texas County to approve such a distinction. Months later, Presidio County officials adopted a similar resolution after hours of debate and several changes to the resolution's language.

The designation is part of a trend of cities, counties and states across the country — mainly in rural pockets of the U.S. — that have taken up the symbolic label. As they’ve been set up in other communities, these resolutions are modeled on sanctuary city ordinances, which limit local cooperation with federal officials when it comes to enforcing immigration laws.

Proponents of these resolutions, like the one that passed in Hudspeth and Presidio Counties, believe gun rights are under attack. By becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary, they say they're telling lawmakers to not step on their right to bear arms.