WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court of the United States on Monday indefinitely extended its blockade to a ley of Texas that would give police broad authority to arrest migrants suspected of having entered the country illegally, in which the legal battle that it caused over the powers in immigration matters is resolved.
The one-page order signed by Justice Samuel Alito does not set a deadline, but instead extends the suspension “until further order.”
Critics have called the law — known as Senate Bill 4, or SB4 — the most drastic attempt by a state to control immigration since Arizona implemented a law more than 10 years ago. law of which the Supreme Court struck down some portions.
Migration crisis
The Texas attorney general has said the state law mirrors federal law and was “implemented to address the ongoing crisis at the southern border, which hurts Texans more than anyone else.”
President Joe Biden’s administration filed a lawsuit against Texas to annul the measure, arguing that it represents a “usurpation” of federal authority in immigration matters, harms international relations and creates chaos in the application of immigration laws. Immigration policy has caused unbalancing budgets on the border and in the cities of the United States.
Meanwhile, pro-immigration groups argue that the initiative could lead to “civil rights” violations and “racial typecasting.”
A federal judge in Texas banned implementation of the law in late February, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed that ruling, prompting the federal government to file an appeal with the highest court.
The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to detain people for federal immigration violations, a measure often referred to by critics as the “show me your papers” initiative. In a split ruling, the court determined at the time that the stalemate in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.
Unprecedented figures
The battle over Texas immigration law is one of several court disputes between Texas officials and President Joe Biden’s administration over how far the state can go to police the border with Mexico and prevent illegal border crossings. Texas alleges harm from undocumented immigration, which has seen unprecedented numbers since Biden arrived at the White House, with more than 9 million encounters reported by the Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP).
Several Republican colleagues have supported the efforts of Governor Greg Abbott, saying that the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.
The case comes as a record number of asylum seekers arrive in the United States and immigration rises to the forefront of campaigns leading up to November’s presidential elections.
Source: With information from AP
