An appeals court in the US has put a freeze on a controversial Texas immigration law SB4 that would give police officers broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of entering the country illegally. The law, which briefly came into effect on Tuesday, has been challenged by the Biden administration on the grounds that immigrant detention should remain in federal hands. The courts are currently deciding on the constitutionality of the law, with a three-judge panel appearing split on whether it should remain in place.
President Biden’s administration has been facing increasing pressure over rising migrant arrivals at the US-Mexico border, leading Texas to take stronger action. If the courts uphold SB4, it could set a precedent for other states to follow suit. Mexico has criticized the law as anti-immigrant and vowed not to accept anyone deported by Texas authorities. The freeze on the law is the latest in a series of legal battles over its fate, with previous rulings blocking it over concerns about individual states having their own immigration laws.
Republicans have criticized President Biden’s handling of the border, with immigration being a top concern for voters ahead of the upcoming presidential election. A Gallup poll in February showed that nearly one-third of Americans consider immigration to be the country’s greatest issue. The decision on SB4 could have far-reaching implications for immigration enforcement in the US as a whole, with the federal government historically holding jurisdiction over immigration laws and regulations.
Source
Photo credit www.bbc.com