UPDATE: The White House has issued a response through Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre:
We fundamentally disagree with the Supreme Court’s order allowing Texas’ harmful and unconstitutional law to go into effect. S.B. 4 will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement, and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border. S.B. 4 is just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions. We remained focused on delivering the significant policy changes and resources we need to secure the border – that is why we continue to call on Congressional Republicans to pass the bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades.
***Original post***
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Tuesday afternoon that Texas law enforcement officials have the legal authority to arrest, detain and deport illegal immigrants. The ruling, which is an injunction, allows Texas to enforce SB 4 -- a local law passed in the Lone Star State -- until the case receives a ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
BREAKING: In a 6-3 decision SCOTUS allows Texas to begin enforcing SB4 that allows the arrest of illegal immigrants.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 19, 2024
We still have to have hearings in the 5th circuit federal court of appeals.
But this is clearly a positive development.
🚨🚨 HUGE WIN: Texas has defeated the Biden Administration’s and ACLU’s emergency motions at the Supreme Court. Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect. As always, it’s my honor to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to victory in court.
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 19, 2024
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick told Fox News the ruling is "historic." Border Patrol Union President Brandon Judd said it was "huge" for border security.
The liberal Supreme Court Justices, led by Justice Sonja Sotomayor, claimed the ruling will cause more chaos at the border.
"Today, the Court invites further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement. Texas passed a law that directly regulates the entry and removal of noncitizens and explicitly instructs its state courts to disregard any ongoing federal immigration proceedings. That law upends the federal state balance of power that has existed for over a century, in which the National Government has had exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens," they wrote in their dissent.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.
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