Supreme Court allows Texas’ controversial immigration law to go into effect

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The U.S. Supreme Court, for now, is allowing Texas to implement its immigration law, known as SB4, that permits local and state police to arrest people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.



AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a controversial immigration enforcement law to go into effect in Texas. The law, known as SB4, makes unauthorized entry into Texas a state crime, and it allows local police to arrest undocumented immigrants and return them to Mexico, regardless of where the immigrant is from. The law had been embroiled in court proceedings since the Republican-controlled state legislature passed it last year. Julian Aguilar of the Texas Newsroom has been following all of this and joins us now. Welcome.

JULIAN AGUILAR, BYLINE: Thank you.

CHANG: So tell us more about what today’s decision means exactly.

AGUILAR: So the decision means that, at least for now, Texas can enforce the law as the court case plays out in the federal court system. The law was set to go into effect March 5, but it was blocked after the Biden administration, a handful of immigrant rights groups and El Paso County sued to stop its implementation. And that lawsuit alleged that the law is discriminatory and will unfairly target people of color. And there is also the issue of who has the authority to enforce immigration laws – is it the states or the federal government? Opponents of SB4 argue it’s up to the feds.

CHANG: Wait, so can states just now start implementing immigration enforcement laws on their own?

AGUILAR: So the decision only spoke to the Texas law as before, so there’s no telling what other states will try to do. I think most legislatures will wait and see what the ultimate decision is on SB4. But, you know, I have no doubt that conservative lawmakers across the country will see today’s decision as a victory, even if it might be temporary.

CHANG: Can we just step back a little? Like, how did this law, SB4,…

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