US Supreme Court Greenlights Texas Law Allowing Arrest and Detention of Migrants

In a contentious decision, the US Supreme Court has granted Texas the authority to arrest and detain migrants under the state's stringent new immigration law, SB4.

This law empowers local and state law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute individuals suspected of unlawfully crossing the Mexican border. Despite vehement opposition from the Biden administration, which decried the law as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court's ruling marks a significant victory for Texas officials.

Traditionally, enforcement of immigration laws, including arrests, falls within the purview of the federal government. However, SB4 now grants Texas officials the power to arrest migrants and initiate legal proceedings against them or order their expulsion to Mexico.

SB4 represents one of the most aggressive immigration measures implemented by any US state in recent memory. Judge Samuel Alito halted the law's enforcement three times previously, but on March 19, the Supreme Court overturned these blocks, allowing SB4 to take effect while a lower federal appeals court evaluates its legality.