Texas legislators praised the Supreme Court on Tuesday for upholding a statute allowing local and state officials to apprehend suspected illegal immigrants.
The 6-3 decision allows Texas to enforce SB 4, a controversial statute that the Biden administration contended was an incursion into federal immigration enforcement, while it is still pending in a federal appeals court.
The bill was passed by Texas lawmakers last year and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, who is already entangled in legal disputes with the federal government over his state’s efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the state.
The legislation makes illegal immigration a state crime and empowers state and local authorities to apprehend illegal immigrants, who may face deportation or imprisonment.
Despite the legal entanglements and future hearings, Abbott described the verdict as “clearly a positive development.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton described it as a “HUGE WIN.”
“Texas has defeated the Biden Administration’s and ACLU’s emergency motions at the Supreme Court,” he said in a tweet. “Our immigration law, SB 4, is now effective. As usual, it is a privilege for me to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to success in court.”
Fox News Digital has contacted the offices of Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn.
Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, stated that the federal government has failed to defend the southern border and that Texas is well within its rights to enforce the law.
“It is clear to any honest and objective person living in this country that President Biden has willfully disregarded the laws of the land, abdicated his constitutional duty to provide for a common defense, and unilaterally surrendered control of our border to terrorist drug cartels,” Arrington said in a written statement.
“I applaud the Supreme Court for allowing Texas to do what President Biden won’t — stop the chaos, secure the border, and protect Texans and Americans.”
The Supreme Court decision is a “HUGE win for the great state of Texas and border security!” according to Texas Republican Rep. Troy Nehls. Similarly, the House Judiciary Committee described it as a “big win for law and order!”
Despite the fact that SB 4 is a Texas legislation, New Mexico state Rep. John Block, a Republican, expressed concern about his state’s capacity to control the flow of migrants.
“Without states like New Mexico joining Texas in apprehending illegal border crossers, our state’s remaining 50-plus miles of open border will become ground zero for criminal trespass into the country,” Block said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. “New Mexico will be crippled beyond compare with the next wave of criminal entry if we do not act now.”
He urged Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to declare a state of emergency, dispatch personnel from the New Mexico National Guard to assist border officials, and order the New Mexico State Police to arrest suspected illegal border crossers immediately.
“Every community in our country has now become a border community due to the Biden administration, and we must finally do what is required to keep our citizens safe,” the vice president added.
On Tuesday, the White House declared SB 4 unlawful, claiming it was “just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions.” Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, stated that the measure ultimately damages communities and poses a public safety risk.
“We are focused on implementing the necessary policy adjustments and resources required to protect the border. That is why we continue to urge congressional Republicans to support the bipartisan border security agreement, the most stringent and equitable set of border improvements in decades,” she stated.
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