Texas Border: Migrants Rushing To Get To America Before New Arrest Law Takes Effect

A surge of migrants is swiftly making its way across the Texas border, driven by the impending enforcement of a new state law allowing police to apprehend individuals suspected of illegally crossing into the US, per the NY Post.

Tens of thousands of Texas migrants are congregating at the US Mexico border daily, overwhelming border patrol agents and local authorities.

The urgency is palpable, with migrants aiming to beat the March deadline when Texas law officers gain the authority to enforce the stringent measures.

"We need to get to America fast," Fernando Valencia, a 36-year-old Venezuelan truck driver, said. "With the new laws in Texas, we have a better chance of getting into America now than if we wait."

Valencia, part of a group headed to a shelter in Piedras Negras, emphasized the swift decision-making spurred by the approaching law.

Record numbers of Texas migrants have been apprehended crossing the US Mexico border since President Biden took office in 2021.

Texas Governor Signs Law Empowering State Law Enforcement

Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 4 into law Monday, granting Texas law enforcement the power to arrest those suspected of illegal Texas border crossings, Reuters reports.

This move delegates powers historically held by the US government, potentially setting the stage for legal challenges.

Effective in March, the law establishes a new state crime for illegal entry or re-entry into the Texas border, with penalties ranging from 180 days to 20 years in prison.

Judges in Texas will mandate migrants' return to Mexico, with severe sentences for non-compliance.

Governor Abbott criticized President Biden for failing to enforce existing federal laws and, in response, signed a bill allocating $1.5 billion for border wall construction and other operations.

The law's reach is expansive and applicable anywhere in Texas. However, arrests near the US Mexico border are expected to be predominant.

Certain locations, including public and private schools, places of worship, and healthcare facilities, remain off-limits for arrests.

Legal Challenges and Opposition

Legal experts and immigrant rights groups argue that the new Texas law encroaches on the federal government's authority to regulate immigration, according to KTLA.

A lawsuit filed by the ACLU and other groups contends that SB 4 violates the US Constitution's supremacy clause, creating a parallel state system conflicting with the federal framework.

Critics view the measure as the most significant attempt by a state to regulate immigration since Arizona's 2010 law, "Show Me Your Papers," largely struck down by the US Supreme Court.

Governor Abbott and fellow Republicans insist that Texas, without federal action, has the constitutional authority to secure its border.

The U.S. government has not indicated whether it will challenge the Texas law, similar to its response to Arizona's measure in the past.

While the US government's response to the governor's action at the Texas border remains uncertain, Mexico's president has signaled intentions to intervene.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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