Texas border enforcement law again blocked in legal whiplash

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A Republican-backed Texas law that would allow state law enforcement authorities to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border was blocked again by an appeals court on Wednesday, just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court had cleared the way for it to go into effect.

A late night ruling on Tuesday from the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals halted the enforcement of the law ahead of oral arguments on the issue scheduled for Wednesday.

The legal back and forth in the case has caused uncertainty about the future of the controversial measure put in place by Republican Governor of Texas Greg Abbott. The law is opposed by the democratic administration of President Joe Biden which says it would impede the federal government from enforcing immigration laws.

Abbott last December signed the law, known as SB 4, authorizing state law enforcement to arrest people suspected of entering the U.S. illegally, giving local officers powers long delegated to the federal government. Abbott said the law was needed due to Biden’s failure to enforce federal laws criminalizing illegal entry or re-entry.

Republicans have sharply criticized the Democratic president’s handling of the record numbers of migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Abbott and other Republicans favor the restrictive policies of former President Donald Trump, their party’s candidate challenging Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Texas law will “sow chaos and confusion at our southern border.”