Supreme Court Allows Texas to Enforce Border Law Within 24 hours of Issuing a Stay
The U.S. Supreme Court issued two rulings in less than 24 hours, ultimately allowing Texas' border bill, SB 4, to go into effect. The opinion sends the case back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to hear the case on the merits.
On Monday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito issued a third extended stay on the initial stay he ordered on March 4 to prevent the law from going into effect on March 5 until the court could rule on the matter.
Alito first stayed a Fifth Circuit ruling that was issued for two consolidated lawsuits filed by the Department of Justice and El Paso County and nonprofit organizations, respectively. The two lawsuits were filed after Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 4 into law, which makes illegal entry into Texas from a foreign nation a state crime.
In February, U.S. District Judge David Ezra ruled against the law. On March 5, the Fifth Circuit overturned his ruling and the consolidated cases were appealed to the Supreme Court. The high court wa