Texas ACLU Sues to Block Abbott’s Extreme Border Security Law

Austin, Texas – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas has filed a lawsuit challenging Texas Senate Bill 4, which would permit local and state law enforcement to arrest and detain people they suspect to have entered Texas from another country without federal authorization. The bill was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on Monday and is scheduled to take effect on March 5, 2024 .

The ACLU, along with the Texas Civil Rights Project and Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, argue that the law is unconstitutional and violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. The law bypasses federal law as Texas judges would be authorized to order a person’s deportation regardless of whether a person is eligible to seek asylum or other humanitarian protections under federal law. Enforcement of the law isn’t limited to border communities, meaning Texans across the state would be at risk of arrest, jailing, and deportation .

The law has been criticized by many as being inhumane and unconstitutional. Advocates have warned that the law will separate families and will directly lead to racial profiling, subjecting thousands of Black and Brown Texans to the state prison system which is already rife with civil rights abuses .

Conclusion

The ACLU of Texas, along with the Texas Civil Rights Project and Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, has filed a lawsuit challenging Texas Senate Bill 4, which would permit local and state law enforcement to arrest and detain people they suspect to have entered Texas from another country without federal authorization. The law is scheduled to take effect on March 5, 2024, and has been criticized by many as being inhumane and unconstitutional. Advocates have warned that the law will separate families and will directly lead to racial profiling, subjecting thousands of Black and Brown Texans to the state prison system which is already rife with civil rights abuses. The lawsuit argues that the law is unconstitutional and violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.