The Supreme Court extended a temporary block on a new Texas immigration law challenged by the Biden administration, in a move issued by conservative Justice Samuel Alito on Monday.
Alito’s order imposed a temporary freeze on a lower court’s decision, maintaining the law’s hold “pending further order” of the court. Originally set to take effect on March 10, Alito intervened three times to ensure the lower court ruling remains on hold.
With his most recent order due to expire Monday evening, the law faced imminent implementation without Supreme Court intervention. However, the ruling is now indefinitely blocked, granting all nine justices additional time to deliberate on the next steps.
The contested law, known as SB4, grants police authority to detain migrants crossing the border from Mexico illegally and imposes criminal penalties.
Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued in court papers that the Texas law contradicts Supreme Court precedent dating back a century.
In defense of the law, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton contended in court documents that it aligns with federal law, asserting the state’s right to enforce it.
Paxton emphasized, “The Constitution recognizes that Texas has the sovereign right to defend itself from violent transnational cartels that flood the state with fentanyl, weapons, and all manner of brutality.”
Challenging the law alongside the Biden administration, the city of El Paso and two immigrant rights groups, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and American Gateways, filed their own emergency request at the Supreme Court.
