Dozens of people gathered in downtown Dallas outside City Hall on Sunday to voice their opposition to the state's new sanctuary cities law, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed off on last week.

A similar protest was planned for Sunday in Austin, where hundreds marched from City Hall to the Governor's Mansion, the Texas Observer reported.

The law, set to take effect Sept. 1, will punish cities, counties and universities that prohibit local law enforcement officers from asking about a person's immigration status or enforcing immigration law. It will create a criminal charge for police chiefs, county sheriffs and constables who violate the ban and would fine local jurisdictions up to $25,000 a day for each violation.

A provision in the law will also allow police to question anyone they detain about their immigration status.