US federal judge blocks key parts of Texas migrant arrest law
A US federal judge has suspended key provisions of a Texas law granting state police the authority to arrest undocumented migrants. The ruling rests on precedents preserving federal authority over immigration policy.
A US federal judge has suspended key provisions of a Texas law, enacted in 2024, that gave state police the power to arrest people who cross the border without authorisation. The judge noted that immigration regulation falls under the federal government's authority under the Constitution.
The ruling provides significant backing to legal challenges that Latin American migrant communities and the Mexican government have pursued for years. The Department of Justice had filed suit, arguing the law was incompatible with the federal immigration system. Civil rights groups welcomed the decision, saying it would reduce the risk of racial profiling at the state level.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the state would appeal. The legal battle is expected to move to the federal appeals court over the coming months and potentially to the Supreme Court. The White House described safeguarding federal immigration policy as a priority and said it would defend the ruling on appeal.
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