The Biden administration sued the state of Texas on Wednesday over a new law that would allow authorities to arrest immigrants who enter the country illegally.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, follows the Department of Justice's threat last week to take legal action against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott unless the state rescinds implementation of the new law, known as SB4 or Senate. This was done in response to what was done. Bill 4 he is scheduled to take effect on March 5th.
“The United States brought this action to maintain its exclusive authority under federal law to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens,” the Justice Department said. 22 page complaint state.
Under SB4, illegally entering the United States from Mexico would be a state crime, and police would have the power to arrest individuals suspected of crossing the Rio Grande between ports of entry.
Immigrants caught entering the country illegally will be charged with a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in prison. Repeat offenders will be charged with a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
SB4 allows Texas judges to drop charges against immigrants if they agree to deportation.
The law was signed by Abbott on Dec. 18 as part of the state's “Operation Lone Star” initiative to curb illegal border crossings.
“However, Texas cannot operate its own immigration system,” the Justice Department's lawsuit argues. “That effort through SB4 intrudes on the federal government's exclusive authority to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens, interferes with U.S. immigration operations and processes, and interferes with U.S. foreign relations.”
The Justice Department demands that “SB 4 is invalid and must be enjoined,” arguing that SB 4 is “preempted by federal law and therefore violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.” There is.
Abbott suggested Wednesday that he believes Texas will prevail in President Biden's latest legal battle with the Justice Department over his efforts to stem record levels of illegal border crossings.
“Today, Mr. Biden sued me for signing into law a law that makes it illegal for illegal immigrants to enter or attempt to enter Texas directly from other countries,” the Texas governor said in a statement. mentioned in. ×post. “I like my chances.”
“Texas is the only government in the United States that is trying to stop illegal immigration,” he added.
A spokesperson for Mr. Abbott told the Post last week that Texas is prepared to take legal battles all the way to the Supreme Court to enforce SB4 if necessary.
“Texas stands ready to take this fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect Texans and Americans from President Biden’s open border policies,” Abbott President Renae Eze said in a statement.
“President Biden's willful and dangerous inaction on our southern border has left Texas to fend for itself. Governor Abbott last week announced that the president is refusing to enforce federal immigration law by illegally entering Texas. Signed Senate Bill 4 to stop the wave of
The Justice Department will also sue the state over the construction of a floating barrier on the Rio Grande that a court ordered Mr. Abbott to remove, allowing Border Patrol agents to remove about 30 miles of razor wire installed along the U.S. petitioned the Supreme Court. The border with Mexico borders Texas, which prevents migrants from entering the state.
