A federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that Texas authorities cannot enforce a state law allowing the arrest and prosecution of individuals suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, upheld an injunction blocking the law, which the Biden administration had challenged in court. The law, known as SB4 and signed by Governor Greg Abbott in December 2023, would make illegal entry into Texas a state crime with potential prison sentences of up to 20 years. The court majority cited federal supremacy in immigration control as grounds for the ruling. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed to appeal. The ruling upheld a lower court’s preliminary injunction from February 2024, with the 5th Circuit temporarily halting the law’s enforcement pending further review. The dissenting judge expressed disappointment, while plaintiffs’ counsel welcomed the decision, stating that state immigration laws like SB4 harm communities.
