Civil rights groups challenge Texas law expanding state immigration enforcement

Tue, 05 May 2026 11:01:00 +0200

A coalition of civil rights organizations, including the Texas Civil Rights Project, the ACLU, and the ACLU of Texas, has filed a new lawsuit seeking to block major parts of Texas Senate Bill 4. The law, set to take effect on May 15 after a federal appeals court lifted an injunction, would allow state and local police to arrest people suspected of entering the U.S. illegally and would give state magistrates authority to issue deportation orders. The groups argue that the measure is unconstitutional because immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, not a state one. Their lawsuit targets several specific provisions, including the creation of a state crime for illegal re-entry even after a person gains legal status, penalties for failing to follow a magistrate’s removal order, and a requirement that state proceedings continue even when someone has an active federal immigration case such as an asylum claim. The advocacy groups say the law would improperly turn police and judges