Green light from the US Supreme Court: Against the will of the Justice Department, Texas police officers are given powers at the border with Mexico that are otherwise reserved for federal authorities.
“No SB 4,” “No to Senate Bill Number Four,” chanted demonstrators in several Texas border towns after the Supreme Court decision was announced. The chief justices have determined that Texas’ solo approach to border security can come into force for the time being.
Until further notice, Texas border officials are allowed to arrest people who are suspected of illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico. Texas is now allowed to deport people on its own initiative and impose long prison sentences for repeated illegal border crossings. All of these were previously the powers of the US federal authorities. For the first time in US history, an individual federal state can secure its external border on its own initiative.
No final decision yet
The Texas Attorney General calls the judge’s ruling a “great decision.” But Ken Paxton admits on local Texas television that the fight is not over yet. The Texas migration law initially only applies until a lower court has decided on the prevailing concerns.
The Biden administration said in writing that it “fundamentally” disagrees with the Supreme Court and called Texas’ go-it-alone approach “harmful and unconstitutional.” “This will cause chaos along the border!” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy also criticized. It would not be acceptable to operate two different border security systems at the same time – a state and a federal one, Murphy argued on CNN.
Republicans block federal law for electoral reasons
At the federal level, however, the situation is deadlocked: The Senate recently passed a package of measures to secure borders with a non-partisan majority. In the House of Representatives, however, the Republicans refused to give their consent – probably influenced by Donald Trump, who does not want any relaxation along the border for electoral reasons: he is once again enjoying winning votes with resentment against immigrants.
Senator Murphy said he hopes that the Republicans will change their minds and still support historically tough border security. The blocked law provides more money for border protection, faster asylum procedures, simplified deportations and the power for the president to completely seal off the border if necessary.
First of all, the legal tug of war over the Texas law is already entering a new round.