Texas Governor Abbott signed a new bill on Monday local time that allows state law enforcement to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and gives more autonomy to local governments.
Reuters reported that the law, known as SB 4, will take effect in March next year and makes illegal entry or re-entry to Texas a new state offense, with penalties ranging from 180 days in prison to up to 20 years. At the same time, the bill requires a Texas magistrate to order the deportation of migrants to Mexico, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for refusal to comply.
Under federal law, immigrants who illegally cross the border have been charged with illegal entry or re-entry, but Abbott blamed Biden for failing to effectively enforce those laws.
Speaking at a news conference in front of the border wall in Brownsville, Abbott said: "Biden's willful inaction left Texas to fend for itself. ”
In addition, Abbott signed a bill that would invest an additional $1.5 billion in border wall construction and other operations. The state had previously allocated $5 billion for border enforcement.
Since Biden took office in 2021, the U.S.-Mexico border has seen a record number of migrants. Abbott and other Republicans have accused Biden of reversing former Trump's strict policies. Under Biden, more than half of the 5.8 million** migrants have taken place in Texas and neighboring New Mexico, putting enormous pressure on border cities.
Mr. Abbott launched Operation Lone Star two years ago to try a series of measures to deter illegal border crossers, including deploying the National Guard at the border, blocking migrants with deadly 6-angular barbed wire and installing floating barriers on the Rio Grande.
But three U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Texas must remove the floating barrier, and Texas has sought a collegial panel review.
This SB 4 bill has also attracted some criticism. Blair, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), has threatened to file a lawsuit against the bill, saying it "overrides federal immigration laws" and "promotes racial discrimination."
The Supreme Court in 2012 rejected a similar law in Arizona, including provisions that allowed the state to arrest suspected illegal immigrants. The 2012 ruling said the provision conflicted with federal law, which takes precedence, and that the U.S. immigration system enacted by Congress generally does not authorize states to arrest suspected illegal immigrants without a warrant.