A Texas state law that permitted the arrest of foreign nationals who crossed the U.S. Southern Border illegally has been blocked by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra of the Western District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction, preventing state officials from enforcing the law known as Senate Bill 4.
This law aimed to make illegal immigration a state crime and would have allowed state authorities to arrest and detain illegal aliens. Additionally, it would have granted state judges the authority to order deportations. In his ruling, Judge Ezra emphasized that immigration enforcement power is solely authorized by the federal government, and states like Texas cannot exercise such power independently.
Although Texas has the option to appeal the decision, the injunction was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by Immigration and civil rights groups against the state. The lawsuit was initiated after Republican Governor Gregg Abbott signed the law in December, stating that its purpose was to curb illegal entry into Texas. According to the law, migrants in Texas custody would have had to comply with a judge’s order to leave the U.S. or face misdemeanor charges for illegal entry. Failure to comply