EL PASO, Texas – Appeals-court judges in Texas expressed skepticism towards both sides of a legal dispute over the state’s immigration law. The state is appealing a lower court ruling that blocked a law penalizing cities and counties that don’t cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
During a hearing on Wednesday, the judges questioned whether the law properly balances federal immigration enforcement and the rights of local governments. They appeared to be struggling with finding a clear resolution to the complex issue at hand.
The Texas law, known as Senate Bill 4, allows police officers to ask people during routine stops whether they’re in the US legally. It also threatens sheriffs with jail time if they don’t cooperate with federal immigration authorities and honors detainer requests. This has caused a backlash from civil rights groups who argue that it encourages racial profiling and turns local law enforcement officers into immigration agents.
Opponents of the law argue that it undermines trust between police and immigrant communities, making them less likely to cooperate with investigations or report crimes. “Our police chiefs are telling us that they need to build trust with immigrant communities and policies like SB4 are just eroding that trust,” said Nina Perales, vice president of litigation for MALDEF, a Latino legal advocacy group.
On the other side, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defended the law, stating that it upholds the key principle of ensuring that local officials don’t undermine federal immigration laws. “This case is really about how far can local governments go in issuing policies that conflict with federal law,” said Paxton.
The judges acknowledged that the case poses challenges for them, with one judge remarking, “Both sides did good work in terms of framing the issues and bringing some incredibly difficult questions before us.”
The decision of the appeals court on this case could have far-reaching implications for how state and local governments handle immigration enforcement. As the discussion on the law continues, many are hopeful that a balanced approach can be found to address the concerns of both federal immigration enforcement and the rights of local communities.