A new decision from the Fifth Circuit Court has opened the door for the state of Texas to begin conducting their own immigration enforcement.
NEW: Federal appeals court allows Texas to carry out its own migrant arrests & deportations.
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) May 30, 2026
🚨🚨🚨Alert: BIG Win for Texas! Federal appeals court allows State of Texas to carry out its own Illegal aliens arrests and deportations!!🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/AYJQ6fa4WC
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) May 30, 2026
Senate Bill 4 had made it a state-level crime to enter Texas illegally. It further prohibited state and local agencies from refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, and required magistrates to pursue criminal prosecutions for violators even if the perpetrator had an outstanding federal immigration case. Above all, it allows the state judiciary to carry out deportations independent of the federal government.
In May, a district court blocked several key provisions of the law from going into effect, notably the ability for the state to issue its own orders of removal and the criminality for refusing to comply with such removal orders. That decision was reversed by the latest.
Governor Greg Abbott hailed the decision as a victory for the state on social media.
BREAKING: Texas received a major border security victory.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 29, 2026
SB 4 makes it a state crime to illegally enter Texas. Shortly after I filed a legal brief defending that law, a federal appeals court ruled to allow it to be enforced while the case continues.
We will keep fighting in… pic.twitter.com/lxhtzCRpsw
While certainly a victory for immigration stalwarts in Texas, SB 4 is sure to face continued legal battles.
