It's not just about abortion. The race is on to roll back even more of your rights

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott just proved that overturning Roe v. Wade isn’t just about abortion rights but uprooting all sorts of legal protections.

Up next on his chopping block is a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that required Texas’ public schools to accept undocumented children and Arizona’s own anti-immigrant Senate Bill 1070.

There’s nothing hypothetical about this anymore.

Abbott, pumped by the looming abortion ruling, said this week that he wants the U.S. Supreme to also revisit the 1982 decision known as Plyer v. Doe that denied state funding to undocumented students.

What about Arizona’s SB 1070? The Supreme Court also can ditch that ruling, said Abbott, who has made immigration the cornerstone of his reelection bid.

Nothing changed - except who's on the court

SB 1070 was signed into law in 2010 and was then considered one of the most restrictive anti-immigrant laws in the nation because it gave the state and local law enforcement ample power to go after those living here illegally.

In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down most provisions but kept a provision allowing local cops to check the immigration status of people they’ve stopped.

“Either the Arizona decision will have to go – giving states full authority to enforce U.S. immigration laws – or Plyer will have to go,” Abbott said, emphasizing that he prefers both legal precedents to be overturned.

What changed? The composition of the U.S. Supreme Court and the fact that five conservative justices are likely willing to toss out the 1973 landmark Roe vs. Wade, say experts and others warning of the fallout if the forthcoming ruling stands.

Abbott just proved they’re right to be worried about what’s next in the conservative fight to impose their will over everyone else in today’s America.

Abbott wants undocumented kids on the street?

Abbott says the feds should pay for the education of children living in the country illegally. But the reality is that overturning Plyer V. Doe would allow public schools to reject undocumented children.

Yes, we’re talking about children and youngsters brought to the U.S. through no fault of their own and who are or should be enrolled in K-12 schools.

Let that sink in for a second.

Abbott apparently wants to keep youngsters on the streets instead of in classrooms.

That’s just insane. What can possibly go wrong with forcing youngsters out of school with nothing to do, right?

Don’t think for a second that Abbott isn’t serious about following through on his desire to overturn immigration legal precedents.

Abbott is just one of the first to get the knives out on this war to strike down all sorts of legal rights if the conservative court guts Roe v. Wade.

Elvia Díaz is an editorial columnist for The Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter, @elviadiaz1.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Gov. Greg Abbott wants to roll back much more than abortion