Staff Reports
The Biden administration is gearing up for a battle against the Lone Star State as Texas takes bold action to address the problem of illegal immigration at its southern border. In a move that reflects the frustration felt by many Americans, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law in December that allows state police to arrest anyone who enters Texas outside of official ports of entry. This tough law gives illegal immigrants a choice: either face jail time in Texas or be deported to Mexico.
Biden Administration Attempts to Stop Texas from Enforcing Immigration Law https://t.co/u2k6hU3wsD pic.twitter.com/v9pC2ianAD
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Unsurprisingly, the federal government has taken issue with Texas flexing its muscles. In a complaint filed by the Department of Justice, the Biden administration argues that Texas has no authority to run its own immigration system. They claim that the state law, known as SB 4, interferes with the federal government’s exclusive power to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens and undermines the country’s immigration operations and foreign relations. The complaint demands that Texas nullify the law before it is slated to take effect on March 5th.
The key legal issue at stake revolves around a 2012 Supreme Court ruling, Arizona v. U.S., which held that the federal government has sole authority over the deportation of illegal immigrants. The Biden administration argues that the Texas law violates this precedent and interferes with the finely-tuned mechanism that the government has in place to address immigration matters. They contend that the federal government has existing procedures to protect noncitizens from deportation, rendering Texas’ efforts unnecessary and redundant.
The complaint also points out potential problems with the Texas law. It warns that SB 4 could impede the federal government’s ability to assess national security and public-safety risks posed by noncitizens. Additionally, it raises concerns regarding foreign relations, as the law would subject noncitizens to deportation to Mexico without any guarantee that Mexico would accept them. This could create further legal issues if Mexico denies entry and, in turn, expose noncitizens to additional criminal penalties.
While the Biden administration takes legal action, Republican state Representative David Spiller praises the Texas law for allowing Texans to protect their state. He sees it as a logical and humane response to the Biden administration’s failure to secure the border. Spiller believes that ordering someone back to their country of origin if they arrived illegally is not unfair.
As this battle between Texas and the federal government unfolds, it raises important questions about the balance of power between states and the federal government and underscores the deep divide over immigration policy in the United States.
