Texas Governor Signs Law Challenging Biden Immigration Policies, Empowering State Law Enforcement
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has signed a new bill granting police the authority to detain illegal immigrants. This legislation also empowers local judges to order their departure from the country. This move aims to combat the influx of illegal immigration that has overwhelmed the state since the onset of the Biden Administration, challenging the extent to which a state can enforce immigration laws.
The bill specifies that once illegal migrants are detained by police, they have the option to comply with a Texas judge’s order to exit the U.S. or face misdemeanor charges for illegal entry. Migrants who fail to comply with the order may be subject to re-arrest and potentially face more severe felony charges.
During the signing ceremony, Gov. Abbott stated that the purpose of the law was to “stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas.”
The Republican governor has approved an additional bill, providing $1.5 billion for the extension of the border wall. This initiative seeks to continue the construction initiated by President Trump, which was subsequently discontinued under President Biden’s administration.
These actions are an expansion of Gov. Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, an initiative that saw state law enforcement agents dispatched to the border, the construction of 16 miles of wall, the installation of 110 miles of razor wire, and the transportation of over 80,000 migrants to sanctuary cities nationwide.
This law introduces an additional point of contention in the ongoing debate over immigration, set against the backdrop of a challenging negotiation process between the White House and Republicans regarding border security. Congressional Republicans are insisting on a immigration legislation overhaul as a precondition for their support on matters related to national security, including assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and other key areas.
Critics have labeled this new policy as the most extreme effort by a state to regulate immigration since Arizona’s 2010 legislation, which faced widespread denunciation as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill and was mostly invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Given that immigration laws are under federal jurisdiction, the new Texas law is anticipated to quickly face legal challenges.
Immediately following Governor Abbott’s signing of the new law, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas announced its intention to contest the measure in court. Additionally, over 20 Democratic members of Congress have signed a letter calling on the U.S. Justice Department to file a lawsuit to halt the enforcement of the law, also referred to as Senate Bill 4.
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