Overview

• Texas lawmakers have passed SB 4, an immigration bill that allows state officials to arrest suspected illegal immigrants with probable cause.
• SB 4 also allows state judges to order migrants to return to Mexico instead of pursuing prosecution.
• The bill is criticized as being 'unconstitutional' under the Supreme Court’s 2012 decision in Arizona v. U.S., which states that state officials don’t have the authority to arrest someone based solely on their immigration status.
• The Republican-controlled Texas State Senate passed the bill on Nov. 9, and it’s now awaiting Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's signature.
• The ACLU of Texas has called the bill one of the most 'radical anti-immigrant laws ever' and threatened to sue if Abbott signs it into law.