The United States Supreme Court issued an order that blocks the implementation of Texas’s SB4 law, which would have allowed police to detain and deport migrants suspected of entering the country illegally.
The legislation in question, known as SB4, was scheduled to take effect but was challenged by the administration of President Joe Biden.
In response to the lawsuit, Justice Samuel Alito decided to indefinitely pause the law’s implementation while the Supreme Court hears arguments from both sides in the dispute.
The case reached the nation’s highest court following a legal battle between the Biden administration and immigrant rights advocates, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, who argue that the law is unconstitutional.
SB4, considered one of the most drastic anti-immigration measures in U.S. history, was originally set to take effect on March 5.
However, a federal judge sided with the plaintiffs and halted its enforcement.
Later, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took the case to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he secured support. In response, the plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court to prevent the law from taking effect.
Justice Alito, who had previously temporarily blocked the law on two prior occasions, decided to halt it indefinitely while the case is under review.
SB4 makes it a misdemeanor for foreigners to enter Texas illegally from a foreign country. Additionally, it stipulates that repeat offenses could be punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The law also grants state courts the authority to order the deportation of individuals without requiring a legal process.
Police officers, meanwhile, would have the power to arrest anyone suspected of entering the country illegally and could deport them to Mexico without making a formal arrest.
While Attorney General Ken Paxton has reiterated his commitment to defending the law, plaintiffs have warned that it could lead to racial discrimination across the state, particularly against the Hispanic community.
Image: DiarioNY
