The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that an administrative stay that stopped a controversial immigration law from going into effect in the state would be extended. This caused a legal showdown over the border crisis, but Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has stayed defiant.
A conservative judge named Samuel Alito issued a one-page order a few minutes past the limit he set a week ago. This caused some confusion as to whether the freeze had ended. The most recent stay did not set a new deadline, so the law will remain in force indefinitely while the high court decides what to do next.
Abbott signed Senate Bill 4 into law in December, which gives state and local police the power to stop people they think are crossing the southern border illegally. It was supposed to start earlier this month, but the Justice Department stepped in and said it is “flatly inconsistent” with Supreme Court practice. It has since been hard to get this law passed.
At least two immigrant rights groups and the city of El Paso have also challenged the rule, saying that it could lead to the unfair treatment of Hispanic people because of their race.
In January, the United States sued Texas over the rule, saying that the state “cannot run its immigration system.” In documents, it has said that if it is put into action, it could “profoundly” change the way things are now “that has existed between the United States and the States in the context of immigration for almost 150 years.”
Last month, a federal court in Austin blocked the law with a preliminary injunction. In the order, the judge said that Texas was most likely to lose the case. Abbott said that the case would “ultimately be decided” by the Supreme Court, so the state quickly filed an appeal.
He told CBS News about the setback on Monday, but he said it “didn’t stop Texas’ pre-existing authority to arrest for criminal trespass and other violations of the law.”
He went on to say, “Until President Biden steps up and does his job to secure the border, Texas will keep using all of its tools and strategies to deal with this Biden-made border crisis.” The 5th Circuit is still planning to hear this case on April 3rd.
Abbott also said in a tweet, “We’re still building the wall, using the National Guard to put up razor wire barriers to keep migrants out, and the buoys are still in the river.”
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