In a recent hearing before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Texas Attorney General Aaron Nielson acknowledged that state lawmakers may have “overstepped” when passing the controversial immigration law known as SB4. The law, which makes illegal entry into Texas a state crime and allows for the deportation of immigrants by state judges, has been the subject of heated debate and legal challenges.
Nielson argued that while lawmakers tried to push the boundaries of what Supreme Court precedents allow states to do in terms of immigration enforcement, they may have gone too far. He tried to downplay the law’s impact on federal immigration authority, stating that immigrants subject to deportation orders from state courts would be turned over to federal immigration authorities for further processing.
However, Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Richman, who was the deciding vote in temporarily suspending the law, expressed skepticism about the law’s accomplishments. She questioned the necessity of the law and urged the appeals court to maintain its block on SB4.
The Justice Department, which filed a lawsuit against the Texas law, also urged the court to uphold the previous ruling blocking the law. Despite arguments from Nielson and Judge Andrew Oldham in favor of the law, legal experts believe the case could ultimately reach the Supreme Court and potentially challenge federal authority over immigration matters.
The legal drama surrounding SB4 continues to unfold, with conflicting rulings and passionate arguments on both sides. The fate of the controversial law remains uncertain as the legal battle wages on.