An ensuing battle between Texas and the federal government has reached another stage with the onset of the state’s Senate Bill 4.
Under SB4, Texas authorities at the state and local levels would be allowed to stop, detain and arrest migrants or those who are suspected of crossing U.S. borders illegally.
Under normal circumstances, these would all be the duties of federal law enforcement and courts.
However, due to record numbers of immigrants crossing the southern border illegally and what the Texas government feels to be a lack of concern on the part of the Biden administration, Texas is attempting to take matters into their own hands by introducing the bill.
The Biden administration has argued the law as unconstitutional and in interference with immigration enforcement.
On March 24, the streets in downtown Dallas were shut down due to protests. Hundreds of people – mainly Latinos – marched against SB4. Latino communities in Texas feel that the law would lead to racial profiling and unfair treatment in their neighborhoods.
Gov. Gregg Abbott addressed these concerns and saying the law is to deter illegal immigration.
He said immigrants crossing illegally are not just coming from Mexico and Latin America, but also Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
The Mexican government has said it would not help enforce SB4 should the law go into full effect.
Upon being signed into law, SB4 was the law of the land for a brief eight-hour period before being blocked by a lower Fifth Circuit federal court.
Implementation of the law is still on hold and remains on appeal.
