A new law that criminalizes illegal entry into Texas has drawn criticism from the White House, which called it incredibly extreme. The law, known as Senate Bill 4, grants local law enforcement the authority to arrest migrants and allows judges to issue orders for their removal from the United States. However, the White House argued that the law does not make communities in Texas safer. The enactment of the law has caused fear among the state’s Latino community, who make up about 40% of the population. Civil rights organizations and immigration advocacy groups have raised concerns about potential racial profiling resulting from the law.
The law comes at a time when there is a significant influx of migrants at the southern border, putting pressure on local, state, and federal authorities to address illegal crossings. Democrats have criticized the law, claiming it is unconstitutional. On Tuesday, civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Texas, and the Texas Civil Rights Project, filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas, arguing that the law violates federal law and is unconstitutional. They contend that immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility, not a decision for individual states.
The White House was asked about the possibility of the federal government challenging the law, but press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre deferred the decision to the Department of Justice. She emphasized that federal courts, rather than individual states, have jurisdiction over the removal of non-citizens for violating immigration laws. Meanwhile, county executives from El Paso, Harris, and Travis counties, which represent a quarter of Texas’ population, penned a letter to President Joe Biden last month, urging him to intervene and prevent SB 4 from taking effect. Their concerns centered around the law’s constitutionality and whether it would truly enhance community safety.
The controversy surrounding the law persists as lawmakers, advocates, and organizations grapple with the implications of state-level immigration enforcement. Critics argue that immigration matters should remain under the purview of the federal government, while supporters of the law see it as a necessary step to address the ongoing border crisis. As the focus shifts to the potential legal challenges ahead, the impacts of SB 4 on Texas and its migrant population remain to be seen.
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