TEXAS—On Tuesday, March 19, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the SB4 law proposed by Texas Governor, Greg Abbott on December 18, 2023, authorizing Texas state law enforcement to arrest individuals suspected of entering the United States illegally.

When Governor Abbott submitted SB4, he cited President Biden’s lack of response to the massive influx of immigrants crossing the U.S. Border with Mexico illegally.

“Biden’s deliberate inaction has left Texas to fend for itself,” Abbott stated.

In a press release, the office of the Governor of Mexico condemns the passage of SB4. The full text may be found on the Gubierno de Mexico (Governor of Mexico) webpage.

“As stated, since the law was debated in the Texas legislature last year, Mexico categorically rejects any measure that allows state or local authorities to exercise immigration control, and to arrest and return nationals or foreigners to Mexican territory.”

The passage of Texas law SB4 was only in effect for several hours on March 19, 2024. The verbiage of the law allowed for those facing illegal entry charges to face a Judge who could then order individuals who trespassed onto U.S. soil illegally to leave the U.S. or face prosecution.

On March 19, Alicia Isabel Adriana Barcena Ibarra (Alicia Barcena), a biologist who is serving as Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary rejected SB4 and stated publicly that Mexico would not accept immigrants deported from the U.S. to Mexico.

The Texas State Police, Texas Border Patrol, and Texas Army National Guard are now on hold as unvetted immigrants continue to surge the border.

The people that Governor Abbott and those wishing to secure the border are not those who are attempting to enter the country legally through the proper channels. Below are some of the most recent incidents shared on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website:

On Sunday, March 19, in Otay, California, CBP officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility intercepted a shipment of carrots. On closer inspection, CBP officers discovered 574 packages of methamphetamine.

The following came directly from the CBP website:

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Brownsville Port of Entry encountered a local man wanted on felony warrants for murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.”

Acting Port Director Michael Reyes, Brownsville Port of Entry made the following statement:

“Amid increasing traffic during the Spring Break/pre-Holy Week period, our frontline CBP officers made a significant arrest of a man wanted for deadly violent crime. These apprehensions reinforce the border security mission and ensure that those fleeing outstanding charges are brought to face justice.”

The following statements were posted to the CBP webpage on March 19, following arrests made in a human smuggling operation that occurred on March 15, 2024:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers at Del Rio Port of Entry intercepted five separate alleged human smuggling attempts in less than 48 hours.

On March 16, at approximately 3:00 a.m., CBP officers discovered the passenger was a Mexican citizen with no valid documents to enter or travel to the U.S.

On March 16, at approximately 4:00 a.m., CBP officers assigned to the Del Rio International Bridge encountered a female United States citizen arriving from Mexico.

The driver had presented two U.S. birth certificates for two adult male passengers who were posing as minors. CBP officers discovered that both passengers were Mexican citizens, and the entry documents did not belong to them.

On March 16, 9:00 a.m. Del Rio CBP officers on the International Bridge: “During the examination of the vehicle, it was discovered that the driver and his wife, also a citizen of Mexico, were attempting to hide an adult male in the cargo area of the vehicle. The male was later identified as their adult son, a citizen and national of Mexico, with no valid entry documents.”

The fifth smuggling attempt occurred on March 17, at approximately 7:00 a.m. when CBP officers assigned to the Del Rio International Bridge encountered a female United States citizen arriving from Mexico. The driver had presented a U.S. birth certificate for a minor female. CBP officers discovered the minor was a Mexican citizen with no valid documents to enter or travel to the U.S.

“These five significant events serve as a resounding reminder that violating U.S. immigration law can carry significant legal and criminal consequences. The skillset applied in uncovering these would-be smuggling attempts serves as a testament to our unwavering commitment to our border security mission.”