Supreme Court Temporarily Dismisses Texas Immigration Law

The United States Supreme Court blocked a new Texas law that made entering the Lone Star State illegally a state crime. The decision comes amid a standoff between Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and the federal government regarding stopping the large flow of migrants into the country.

Senate Bill 4 was set to take effect Monday, but the Supreme Court placed a temporary hold on its implementation.

The order authored by Justice Samuel Alito stated that the law would be halted “pending further order of the undersigned or of the Court.”

The December 2023 law was challenged by a number of groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Justice Department.

The law was blocked by a federal judge pending further review, which then made it to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and then to the Supreme Court. The high court will provide a full decision at an unspecified time.

Abbott wrote that while the law was temporarily halted, the state was “still using its authority to arrest illegal immigrants for criminal trespass and other violations of law.”

“We continue building the wall, use NG to erect razor wire barriers to repel migrants & buoys remain in river,” he said.

SCOTUS temporarily halted enforcement of SB 4 but Texas is still using its authority to arrest illegal immigrants for criminal trespass and other violations of law.
We continue building the wall, use NG to erect razor wire barriers to repel migrants & buoys remain in river.

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 18, 2024

Abbott has been at the forefront of Operation Lone Star, which utilizes state resources to try to halt the flow of illegal immigrants into Texas. Abbott has utilized state police and the Texas National Guard to protect the border from the crossings.

Furthermore, the state has taken several actions that placed it in conflict with the Biden administration. This included the installation of floating barriers and razor wire along the border and protecting the area around Eagle Pass, Texas, a major crossing.

The results have been significant. Near Eagle Pass, the number of migrant crossings there has fallen by about 99%.

The Abbott administration reported that the number of migrants crossing daily fell from more than 4,000 people per day in December 2023 to just 18 per day in February.

Former President Donald Trump called the state’s success an “incredible operation.” Trump also described the current migrant situation as a “war.”

Texas has also bussed migrants to other parts of the country, including self-declared ‘sanctuary’ states and cities.