Texas governor signs bill allowing police to arrest migrants entering US illegally
GuardianDec 30, 2023
Texas: New Law Criminalizes Illegal Immigration at State Level
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The Facts
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday signed into law a bill permitting state police to arrest migrants who enter the US illegally. The law then allows judges to order the migrants to return back to Mexico.
Abbott signed the bill in a ceremony at the border town of Brownsville while declaring it would cut illegal entry into the US by 50-75% and make up for Democratic Pres. Joe Biden's "deliberate inaction" at the southern border.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Millions of illegal immigrants are pouring into the US across the southern border while the Biden administration just sits on its hands. The administration's "catch-and-release" policy is an epic failure and it has left Abbott with no choice but to push the limits of state power to secure his state, the US southern border, and the country as a whole.
Democratic narrative
Abbott’s far-right bill runs counter to the US Constitution and shows disdain for immigrant communities. Already the US Supreme Court a decade ago struck down a similar law in Arizona. Abbott's solution codifies racial profiling by local police, and this xenophobic policy must be stopped before it takes effect.
