Texas’ plans to arrest migrants who enter the U.S. illegally and order them to leave the country is headed to the Supreme Court in a legal showdown over the federal government’s authority over immigration.
An order issued Monday by Justice Samuel Alito puts the new Texas law on hold for at least next week while the high court considers what opponents have called the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago.
The law, known as Senate Bill 4, had been set to take effect Saturday under a decision by the conservative-leaning 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Alito’s order pushed that date back until March 13 and came just hours after the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
How would Texas police know someone’s immigration/citizenship status? Do they have the same access and training as federal officers?
Probably not.
The issue here is that borders are federal. Texas is trying to go ‘States Rights’ and usurp federal power. That obviously sets a dangerous precedent.
The supreme court just ruled that unless the constitution spells out how to implement it states don’t have the right to enforce laws.
Boarder state police can be deputized as Boarder Patrol, ICE, or other federal agencies. Dispatch can find out immigration status if proper identification is provided. If they need to, they can detain someone and bring them to a jail and have facial or fingerprint lookup done to determine status.