Starting from March 2024, it will be illegal to cross the US-Mexico border via Texas without authorization.
Texas’s Republican Governor, Greg Abbott, continues to toughen his stance on immigration.
He signed a bill Monday afternoon making unauthorized border crossing a state crime.
The new law is expected to take effect from March 2024.
From that date onward, all individuals suspected of illegally crossing the Mexican border into Texas will be arrested.
First-time offenders face a sentence of up to six months in prison. In the case of a repeat offense, violators could receive a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, as reported by NPR.
Under this controversial law, convicted individuals will be escorted to a point of entry to leave US soil. “They could face a felony charge if they refuse to return to Mexico,” reported National Public Radio (NPR), adding that “[c]onvicts can have their sentences waived by agreeing to be deported to Mexico, regardless of their origin.”
Law enforcement will not be allowed to make arrests in schools, places of worship, and healthcare facilities, according to this new law, although it does not prohibit arrests on university campuses.
To justify the new immigration law, Republicans highlight the federal government’s inability to decrease the migratory flow to the United States.
“It’s a landmark bill that allows Texas to protect Texans, send illegal immigrants back, and prosecute and incarcerate those who refuse to leave,” stated David Spiller, a Texas State representative who sponsored the new law.
Just published, this legislation is already facing strong criticism, with concerns that it will open the door to racial profiling by police.
Several immigrant rights organizations are preparing to initiate legal proceedings to thwart the Texas governor’s perceived racist agenda.
This new law is in direct violation of international conventions and treaties that provide for considerations to be given to the case of anyone seeking asylum in a foreign country. Furthermore, federal law has already prohibited illegal entry into the United States.
In anticipation of the 2024 elections, Republicans aim to capitalize on immigration to mobilize voters.
Former President Donald Trump, in a strong position to win the Republican primaries, has already resumed his attacks, using language similar to Hitler’s against Latin American immigrants, accusing them of “poisoning the blood of our country.”
It is almost certain that the Democratic administration will seek to block the enforcement of this law.
Joe Biden’s team has already filed lawsuits against several decisions made by the Texas governor regarding immigration.
Greg Abbott is not the only Republican wanting to stop the migratory trend towards Latin America.
The Republican-led House of Representatives continues to pressure Joe Biden’s administration to prevent immigrants from Latin America seeking refuge in the United States.
Republican lawmakers threaten to block aid to Ukraine and Israel if measures are not taken to address the migration issues facing the United States.
The number of migrants seeking to enter the United States through the southern border is sharply increasing. This poses a significant challenge for President Joe Biden, who seeks re-election.
President Biden heavily relies on voters of Latin American origin to get re-elected. They tend to vote for Democrats in elections. However, the situation could change in the upcoming elections. Many Latin American immigrants disapprove of the Biden administration’s immigration policy, believing it has not done enough for immigrants of Latin American origin.