Great news! Appeals court puts Texas SB4 law back on hold

• Texas SB4 on hold again.
• An appeals court ruled late Tuesday.
• New arguments began on Wednesday.

After the U.S. Supreme Court said the law could go into effect, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals late Tuesday suspended the implementation of a controversial new Texas immigration law, according to EFE.

The law, known as SB4, would allow the detention and expulsion of migrants suspected of irregular entry into the state.

The appeals court blocked the legislation shortly after a panel on the same court allowed it to go into effect until the new ruling, which only took a few hours.

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Texas SB4 on hold

A panel of three judges paused the implementation of the law following the Supreme Court’s decision, temporarily blocking the state law which criminalized irregularly crossing from Mexico into Texas.

Thus concludes, for the time being, the back-and-forth between the Supreme Court and the circuit court based in New Orleans.

After putting Texas SB4 on hold, the Supreme Court decided on Tuesday to leave the decision on enforcement to the Fifth Circuit.

The court has announced that it will hear arguments about the law on Wednesday, leaving the future of this controversial legislation still uncertain.

Texas SB4 on hold: The Biden administration says it is unconstitutional

The Biden administration and migrant advocacy organizations criticize the law as unconstitutional.

The Mexican government has also strongly criticized the Texas law.

The law, one of the most drastic anti-immigrant measures in U.S. history, makes the act of a foreigner «entering or attempting to enter the state from a foreign nation» irregularly a violation of state law.

It would be a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison for repeat offenders.

Police could arrest anyone suspected of being undocumented

Texas SB4 also allows state courts to order the expulsion of individuals without due legal process.

Additionally, police officers will be empowered to arrest any individual they suspect of illegally entering the country and will have discretionary authority to deport them to Mexico instead of arresting them.

Originally, the law promoted by Texas Governor, Republican Greg Abbott, was scheduled to take effect on March 5, but a federal judge sided with the plaintiffs and put a hold on it.

Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, took the fight to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals where he received support, prompting the plaintiffs to turn to the Supreme Court to prevent the law from taking effect.