A Dark Day In Texas: The Supreme Court's Green Light for SB4

Where do we go from here in the battle against SB4's oppressive measures?

Today, the Supreme Court ended the pause on SB 4’s implementation and allowed this blatantly unconstitutional law to be enforced while litigated in court. This ruling does not indicate that the law is constitutional; only Texas can implement it while it is being challenged. This is terrible news for many of Texas’ residents.

SB4 would grant Texas Law Enforcement Officers the authority to deport undocumented immigrants independently, bypassing due process and federal oversight. This move by Texas Republicans aims for quick political gains. The bill would allow officers and state agencies to escort individuals to ports of entry to guarantee adherence. Should immigrants resist compliance with a directive to return, they could be accused of a second-degree felony, risking up to 20 years of incarceration.

Watch Representative Jolanda Jone (D-Harris County) blast this SB4 as it went through the House:

Now, under Texas law, any Keystone Cop can decide to drive a person they deem undocumented to the international border and demand they go back into Mexico (even if they are not from Mexico). If the person doesn’t walk across the bridge, they are arrested and imprisoned for up to twenty years.

The Constitution of the United States of America states that the Federal Government’s job is to manage international treaties, our borders, and citizenship issues. SB4 crosses a major line.

Here is a statement put out today by the Mexican Government:

Source: Mexican Government

The Mexican Government has strongly condemned the enactment of SB4, as well as criticized Texas’ intention to curb migration by criminalizing migrants, fostering family separations, and promoting discrimination and racial profiling against the migrant communities.

Mexico firmly opposes any actions allowing state or local authorities to control immigration or deport individuals to Mexico, and they made sure to shine the light on the negative impact on the human rights of over 10 million people of Mexican origin living in Texas. These measures create a hostile environment characterized by hate speech and racial profiling.

Watch Representative Ramon Romero (D-Tarrant County) talk about the immorality of SB4 as it went through the House:

This bill will even remove people who have been here for decades, living lawfully and paying taxes.

Within SB4, the term “alien” is defined as an individual who is neither a citizen nor a lawful permanent resident. Thus, a person who was once denied a visa but presently holds a valid visa (for example, tourism or marriage) is STILL considered committing an offense, even though they are lawfully present in the country.

Cruelty is the point.

SB4 passed straight down party lines. Every single Republican voted for it, and every single Democrat voted against it. When they tell you who they are, you need to listen. A lot of non-voters need to become voters, the GOP’s authoritarian laws are on our door step.

Watch Representative Gene Wu (D-Harris County) bash the unconstitutionality of SB4 as it went through the House:

ALL Latinos should be very concerned right now.

This immigration law will allow any brown person to be rounded up for any possible violation. SB4 will allow any law enforcement agent in Texas (even school resource officers) the ability to demand a brown person prove they are a citizen (“Show Me Your Papers”). If that person can’t prove their citizenship, they risk deportation to Mexico, no matter their origin.

The law’s implementation will lead to racial profiling, separate families, and harm Black and brown communities across the state, regardless of immigration status.

That directly conflicts with the United States Constitution, which states that everyone, regardless of race or immigration status, has the freedom to move and thrive.

Republicans have already committed to opening up shuttered prisons to make room for 80,000 immigration prisoners. Under SB4, police will act as immigration agents and arrest people who “look” like they’re undocumented. Half of Texans are Latino and could “look” undocumented to a racist cop.

Specific police departments have already put out statements saying they won’t enforce this racist bill, which has garnished ire from House Speaker Dade Phelan.

This further shows how important it is for Democrats to flip the Texas House. If they don’t, next session, Republicans will attempt to pass bills penalizing police departments that don’t racially profile or check detainees for citizenship documentation.

SB4 is one of the most extreme anti-immigrant laws ever passed by any state legislature in America. No one deserves to live in fear. This isn’t who we are.

Learn more about what all families in Texas need to know, what documents they need to carry, and how to be an ally at Know My Rights Texas.

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