Texas judge blocks law that would make illegal border crossings a crime

A United States federal court this Thursday temporarily blocked theTexas state law SB4, whatcriminalizes the irregular crossing of the country's southern border.

The federal judge's preliminary orderDavid Ezra, of the Western District of Texas, granted a motion that pauses what is being considered by critics of the state governorGreg Abbott asthe toughest anti-immigrant law in the US.

The rule, which was to come into force on March 5,would allow state and local authorities to arrest and deport people suspected of entering Texas illegally from another country.

Approved in mid-November by the state Congress - controlled by the Republican Party - and ratified a month later by Governor Abbott, the so-called Senate Bill 4 (SB4) makes it a crime for a foreign person to “enter or attempt to enter the state from a foreign nation” irregularly.

The motion was presented in December 2023 by immigrant rights groups, which argued that if the regulations came into effect, it could lead to violations of civil rights and racial discrimination. The state government opposed the demand.

The court's decision this Thursday is temporary until the court thoroughly examines the matter and makes a decision.

The Texas Attorney General's Office immediately appealed the federal ruling, according to a statement issued Thursday.

The court ruling rejected theTexas measures to control immigration, ignoring Republican allegations aboutan “invasion” along the state's southern border due to the record level of illegal crossings.

Judge Ezra held that this law “violates the supremacy clause of the Constitution, conflicts with federal immigration law, and could impede the foreign relations of the United States and its treaty obligations,” they stated.local media.

Abbott again blamed Biden for the entry of migrants into Texas and said that “this case will ultimately be decided by the United States Supreme Court.”

“Texas has a constitutional right to defend itself due to the continuousPresident Biden's failure to protect our state from invasion at our southern border”, he stressed. “We will not back down in our fight to protect our state.”