#Breaking: A federal appeals court freezes a new law in #Texas which would allow state officials to arrest unauthorised #migrants

The decision to freeze the law is the latest in a string of rulings deciding its fate.

If it were to come back into effect it would mark a significant shift in how immigration enforcement is handled, as courts have previously ruled that only the federal government can enforce the country’s immigration laws – not individual US states.

Crossing the US border illegally is already a federal crime, but violations are usually handled as civil cases by the immigration court system.

Under SB4, punishments for illegal entry or re-entry into Texas range up to 20 years in prison.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada