The United States Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas concerning its recent implementation of a new immigration law. This legislation permits state and local law enforcement officials to apprehend, detain, and prosecute individuals suspected of entering the U.S. unlawfully.
The Biden administration had previously cautioned Texas that legal action would ensue if the state did not provide assurances by Wednesday that it would refrain from enforcing the newly enacted state law, Senate Bill 4 (SB4). Notably, SB4 also grants Texas judges the authority to issue de facto deportation orders. The Biden administration contends that matters related to immigration offenses fall within the purview of the federal government and not individual states.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, who leads the Justice Department’s Civil Division, asserted, “Texas cannot disregard the United States Constitution and settled Supreme Court precedent. We have brought this action to ensure that Texas adheres to the framework adopted by Congress and the Constitution for regulation of immigration.”
In response, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a statement on Wednesday evening, asserting that SB4 was crafted to address what he described as an “endless stream of illegal immigration facilitated by the Biden administration.” Paxton expressed his readiness to vigorously defend the state’s position.
Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, echoed similar sentiments when the Biden administration initially threatened legal action. Abbott criticized the administration, stating, “not only refuses to enforce current U.S. immigration laws, they now want to stop Texas from enforcing laws against illegal immigration.”
The Texas immigration law, signed by Governor Abbott last month, comes against the backdrop of a significant influx of migrants, with up to 10,000 individuals crossing the southern border into the U.S. each day. As legal proceedings unfold, the clash between state and federal authorities on immigration enforcement takes center stage.