So now Texas is messing with Arizona-style immigration “reform”:

A Republican Texas lawmaker plans to introduce a tough immigration measure similar to the new law in Arizona, a move state Democrats say would be a mistake.

Rep. Debbie Riddle of Tomball said she will push for the law in the January legislative session, according to Wednesday’s editions of the San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle.

“The first priority for any elected official is to make sure that the safety and security of Texans is well-established,” said Riddle, who introduced a similar measure in 2009 that didn’t get out of committee. “If our federal government did their job, then Arizona wouldn’t have to take this action, and neither would Texas.”

The Arizona law would require local and state law enforcement to question people about their immigration status — and make it a crime for immigrants to lack registration documents.
[...]
State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, a San Antonio Democrat and former president of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, called the law “extremely damaging and hateful.”

Van de Putte predicted failure for any similar measures in Texas and said the GOP would suffer politically for such a move.

Asked about the Arizona law, GOP Gov. Rick Perry and his Democratic challenger, Bill White, emphasized through spokespeople that immigration is a federal responsibility.

Jim Harrington, of the Texas Civil Rights Project, predicted any similar effort in Texas would fail because Texas has “a different relationship with the Hispanic community.”

“You can take the political temperature by just looking at Rick Perry being quiet,” Harrington said.

I would have thought Texas has too much pride to settle for “Me too!” status.

*** Update, 6:33 a.m. ***

Since wild exaggerations seem to be becoming a pattern at ThinkProgress, I have to say that they’re up to their usual tricks again.

The headline reads: “REPORT: Following Passage Of Arizona Law, At Least Seven States Contemplate Anti-Immigrant Legislation “.

The list includes:
• Georgia, because “Nathan Deal (R), who is running for Governor, wants to propose legislation that mirrors Arizona’s.”
• Colorado, because “gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis (R) said that if he were governor, he would seek to pass something “very similar” to what Arizona enacted.”
• Maryland, because “State Delegate Pat McDonough (R) “plans to start sending a survey to every candidate for the General Assembly — along with the candidates for governor — asking them whether they agree with Arizona’s approach.””
• Ohio, because “Butler County Sheriff Rick Jones and Ohio Rep. Courtney Combs (R) sent a letter to Gov. Ted Strickland asking him “to employ” his “leadership role” “to assure legislation is passed that will mirror” Arizona’s.”

It’s far from clear how Andrea Nill, who wrote the post, counted seven states. Her list includes five cases that could arguably qualify to be called states contemplating anti-immigrant legislation (Utah, North Carolina, Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma). So she’s passing off two of the above four items as examples of a state contemplating anti-immigrant legislation.

That, to put it mildly, is a hell of a stretch.

At what point do people stop taking ThinkProgress seriously, especially their headlines?