The Justice Department on Wednesday filed an action against Texas regarding the state law that allows authorities to detain illegal immigrants, putting Republican Governor. Greg Abbott against the Biden administration, who are in a battle over how to manage the growing situation at the southern border.
The lawsuit, which was filed in the Austin Federal Court, was filed shortly after Abbott adopted in the month of March a measure that challenged the authority of the federal government on immigration-related issues. Alongside Biden and several blue cities such as New York and Chicago have been able to defend themselves against Abbott in order to have thousands of migrants transported from the state of Texas to their area of responsibility.
“The United States brings this action to preserve its exclusive authority under federal law to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens,” the lawsuit states. “Texas does not have the authority to run the immigration process on its own. “Its initiatives, via SB 4 interfere with the authority of the federal government in regulating the admission and exit of foreign nationals, impede those who are a part of the United States’ immigration operations and procedures, and also hinder U.S. foreign relations.”
Texas is also engaged in a court battle in a different area regarding the construction of razor wire along the Rio Grande and a floating barrier that has angered Mexican officials as well.
According to Texas law, migrants can accept the order of a judge for them to depart in the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges for illegal entry. Anyone who refuses to leave may be facing serious felony charges in the event of a second arrest.
The people who were ordered to leave would be taken to points that allow entry to that border to Mexico even if they aren’t Mexican citizens. The law can be enacted anyplace in Texas however, certain areas are not allowed, such as churches and schools.
Fox News Digital has reached for Abbott’s office.
The previous week this week, this week the Justice Department sent Abbott a letter that threatened legal action until Texas changes its course. In the response, Abbott posted on X that the Biden administration “not only refuses to enforce current U.S. immigration laws, they now want to stop Texas from enforcing laws against illegal immigration.”
The governor has repeatedly criticized Biden administration of failing to address border issues. Biden administration of not being able to address the issues at the border, despite the record number of immigrants crossing to the United States. The bussing policy has upset Democrats from blue-colored cities who claim their cities do not have enough resources to assist migrants who have been received.
Illegal crossings at Southern U.S. border topped 10,000 during a few days in December, an amount which U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Troy Miller called “unprecedented.” U.S. authorities closed cargo railroad passages between Eagle Pass and El Paso for five days in December in response to the influx of migrants who were riding freight trains that travel through Mexico towards the border.