A new Texas law that gives police broad authority to detain people suspected of entering the country illegally was blocked by a federal judge on Thursday, giving the Biden administration a win in it’s conflict with Republican governor Greg Abbott over immigration control.
A law that was scheduled to go into effect on March 5 is halted by U.S. District Judge David Ezra's preliminary injunction. Officials from Texas are expected to file an appeal.
The Texas measure is the state's most dramatic immigration policing attempt since a 2010 Arizona law that opponents criticized as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill. Some Texas Republican leaders want a second look at the Arizona law after the U.S. Supreme Court partially overturned it.
This is just one of a number of legal disputes between Texas and Joe Biden's administration over how far the state can go to stop people from crossing the border.
State law enforcement would be able to detain individuals who are suspected of entering the country illegally under the Texas measure. They could consent to a Texas judge's order to leave the country or face misdemeanor charges for illegally entering the country. Those who refuse to leave after receiving an order to do so may be detained and accused of a more serious crime.
