NEW YORK – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has just signed a controversial new law that gives local police sweeping new powers to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally. The law also allows local judges to order them to leave the country, marking a significant shift in immigration enforcement.
Opponents of the law have criticized it as a dramatic attempt to police immigration at the state level, with some drawing comparisons to Arizona’s “Show Me Your Papers” bill from 2010. The law is expected to face legal challenges, as immigration enforcement is traditionally a federal responsibility.
Under President Joe Biden’s administration, Texas Republicans have accused the federal government of not doing enough to stop illegal immigration. As a result, Texas has taken matters into its own hands, busing over 65,000 migrants to cities across America and installing razor wire along the Rio Grande.
In addition to the new law, U.S. Customs and Border Protection temporarily shut down two railroad border crossings in Texas to shift officers to help process migrants, causing disruptions to trade ahead of Christmas.
The new law grants Texas law enforcement officers the authority to arrest individuals suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, migrants could either agree to leave the U.S. as ordered by a Texas judge or face misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Those who do not comply could be arrested on more serious felony charges.
Legal experts have raised concerns about the law’s violation of federal immigration enforcement, and Mexico’s government has rebuked the measure. Immigrant rights groups have criticized President Biden for not intervening sooner to stop Texas’ aggressive border measures.
Despite the controversy, GOP state Rep. David Spiller emphasized that enforcement would primarily take place in border counties and pushed back against concerns that the law would lead to widespread arrests of immigrants statewide.
Under the new law, migrants ordered to leave would be sent to ports of entry along the border with Mexico, even if they are not Mexican citizens. This has sparked opposition from the Mexican government, which rejects any measure that would allow local or state authorities to detain or deport Mexicans or other nationalities to Mexican soil.
Opponents of the law have accused Texas Republicans of using it as a way to challenge the Supreme Court’s 2012 decision on Arizona’s immigration law. Governor Abbott’s recent endorsement of former President Donald Trump, who made controversial anti-immigrant remarks over the weekend, has added fuel to the fiery debate surrounding the new law.
As the legal and political battles over Texas’ new immigration law continue, the impact on migrants and the broader implications for immigration policy in the U.S. remain uncertain.
Disagree, bad punctuation and grammar: this law perpetuates an unjust system that criminalizes desperate individuals seeking a better life. #ImmigrantRights #HumanityFirst
Disagree, this law exacerbates the vulnerability of unauthorized immigrants and lacks compassionate solutions for addressing immigration challenges.
Disagree, this law further marginalizes vulnerable immigrants and fails to address the root causes of migration.