Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, signs a package of anti immigration measures into law today, including SB4, a statute considered among the strictest in U.S. history. It grants police the authority to detain and potentially remove immigrants without traditional due process in certain circumstances.
Set against the backdrop of border construction in Brownsville, Texas, the governor announced the legislation after lawmakers approved three bills in extraordinary sessions. The package is framed as a response to what Abbott describes as a permissive federal approach to border control during the Biden administration.
One of the central provisions of SB4 makes the entry or attempted entry of a foreign national into Texas through irregular means a misdemeanor, escalating to a more serious crime with potential penalties up to 20 years imprisonment for repeat offenders. The statute also permits state justice authorities to decide on deportations without a formal judicial process. Notably, law enforcement officers would have the discretion to arrest individuals suspected of illegal entry and to consider removal to Mexico as part of enforcement actions.
According to Abbott, the law aims to curb the flow of illegal entries into Texas, pointing to counts of more than eight million crossings during the Biden administration beginning in January 2021.
Critics and immigrant rights activists argue that the enforcement approach risks racial profiling and broader civil liberties concerns. Abbott, however, warned that enforcement would be targeted at border areas and emphasized potential negative consequences for immigrants living in the state.
The measure is part of a broader initiative known as Operation Lone Star, which has allocated substantial funding since 2021 for border security, including the installation of razor wire along the Rio Grande and buoy barriers in the river. Abbott also signed SB3, directing further billions to border wall construction and security operations, and provisions to support local police in implementing SB4. In addition, another law provides for a prison sentence of at least ten years for those convicted of immigrant smuggling. Abbott has also taken aim at the Mexican government, asserting that the border situation is a two way issue and accusing the administration there of policies that worsen the risks faced by migrants, including alleged abuses.
Despite the high costs associated with immigration policy measures, Abbott has maintained broad political support within the state since taking office in 2015. He has pursued an anti immigrant agenda on a national scale while challenging federal policy on immigration and arguing that federal leadership bears responsibility for the ongoing immigration challenges at the border.
The potential for new laws remains, as SB4 and related measures face ongoing legal challenges from federal authorities and immigrant advocacy groups. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the League of United Latin American Citizens have signaled their intention to pursue court action. The implications of these provisions are broad, with analysts noting that Texas hosts a large Hispanic population, comprising a significant share of the state’s nearly 30 million residents, which shapes the political and social landscape surrounding immigration policy.