Thousands of undocumented immigrants in Texas can breathe easier today after a local law enforcement to obey requests from immigration officers to hold illegal immigrants for deportation was struck out by a federal judge.
The Texan law was due to come into effect this Friday but a federal judge ruled it was unlikely to withstand constitutional tests, and prevented implementation of key parts of the bill, called SB4.
It is the latest setback for the Trump administration’s clampdown on undocumented immigrants, especially sanctuary cities, with Judge Orlando Garcia saying there is overwhelming evidence that SB4 will erode public trust and make many communities and neighborhoods less safe.
More than 400 jurisdictions across the US, including New York, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago and Seattle, have enacted policies protecting undocumented immigrants.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott says he will immediately appeal the decision.