Federal Judge Blocks Texas Immigration Crackdown Law
Summary from the AllSides News Team
A federal judge blocked Texas state officials from implementing an immigration law which would grant state authorities and judges the ability to arrest, jail and issue deportation orders of those suspected of unlawful entry into the state.
For Context: Senate Bill 4 (SB4), signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in January, aimed to criminalize illegal border crossings at the state level, authorizing state law enforcement officers to detain anyone suspected of unlawful entry into Texas and enabling state judges to issue de facto deportation orders. The law was slated to take effect on March 5.
Key Quotes: The judge disputed the notion that the surge in immigration constituted an “invasion,” as lawmakers claimed, stating “Texas cannot genuinely maintain that noncitizens crossing the border are an organized military force aimed at conquest or plunder.” The judge ruled the law would “amount to nullification of federal law and authority — a notion that is antithetical to the Constitution and has been unequivocally rejected by federal courts since the Civil War.” Abbott vowed to appeal the ruling, stating, “Texas has the right to defend itself because of President Biden’s ongoing failure to fulfill his duty to protect our state from the invasion at our southern border.”
How the Media Covered It: The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) deemed Texas officials’ actions at the border “increasingly drastic” and highlighted the judge’s statements regarding the Civil War. CBS News (Lean Left bias) outlined the specifics of the law and highlighted concerns it could “lead to racial profiling and overwhelm county jails and public safety resources.” This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Federal judge blocks Texas' SB4 immigration law that would criminalize migrant crossings
A federal judge in Austin on Thursday blocked Texas state officials from implementing a sweeping immigration law that would have allowed them to arrest, jail and prosecute migrants who cross into the U.S. illegally.
The Justice Department and the American Civil Liberties Union had challenged the law known as SB4, which was set to take effect on Tuesday, March 5.
In a 114-page order, Judge David Ezra of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas granted the challengers' request for a preliminary injunction preventing Texas officials from enforcing the...
From the Center
US judge blocks Texas law cracking down on illegal border crossings
A federal judge in Texas on Thursday blocked the Republican-led state's new law giving officials broad powers to arrest, prosecute and order the removal of people who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
U.S. District Judge David Ezra in Austin agreed with Democratic President Joe Biden's administration that the law known as SB4 interferes with the federal government's powers under the U.S. Constitution to enforce U.S. immigration laws and the ability of migrants to apply for asylum and other humanitarian aid.
Ezra blocked the law, which was set to take effect...
From the Right
Texas can’t enforce law that makes illegally crossing the border a crime: Judge
A federal judge ruled that Texas cannot enforce a recent law that makes illegal border crossings a state crime.
U.S. District Judge David Ezra paused the law before it was set to take effect on March 5, with Texas expected to appeal. Ezra argued that the law conflicted with the federal government’s supremacy in immigration matters.
Allowing Texas to “permanently supersede federal directives” would “amount to nullification of federal law and authority — a notion that is antithetical to the Constitution and has been unequivocally rejected by federal courts since the Civil War,” Ezra argued.
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