The Supreme Court has issued an injunction and suspended enforcement of a Texas law that expands police officers’ powers to detain immigrants.
The order, decided Monday, was signed by Associate Justice Samuel Alito. The suspension prevents the Texas law, known as SB4, from taking effect until March 12 at 5 p.m. at the earliest.
The Supreme Court’s move comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the court to temporarily block enforcement of the state law. The agency filed an emergency appeal.
SB 4 would allow Texas authorities to arrest anyone they believe has entered the United States illegally. It was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in December.
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The Supreme Court has issued an injunction on a Texas law that expands police officers’ authority to detain immigrants. (Getty Images)
Abbott said last week he refuses to “back down from the fight to protect our state” after a federal judge temporarily blocked the law with a preliminary injunction.
Back in February, more than 40 politicians endorsed a court brief supporting the law.
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Asylum seekers cross the Rio Grande River from Mexico into the United States on September 30, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Rep. Jody Arrington (R-Texas) told Fox News Digital that the purpose of the law is to “stop the chaos, secure our borders and protect Texans.”
“Any honest, objective person living in this country would know that President Biden has deliberately ignored the laws of the land, abdicated his constitutional duty to provide for the common defense, and made the control of our nation’s borders a terrorist organization. “It’s clear that there was a unilateral surrender to the drug cartel,” Arrington said.
Migrants attempt to cross the North American side of the border between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on March 3, 2024. (Lokman Vral Elibor/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Texas has until March 11 to file a response to the Department of Justice’s emergency action motion.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Abbott for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee, Louis Casiano and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
