ACLU of Texas and Texas Civil Rights Project File Lawsuit Challenging SB 4

The ACLU of Texas and the Texas Civil Rights Project have filed a lawsuit challenging SB 4, a law that gives local law enforcement in Texas the ability to arrest people they believe are in the country illegally. The law was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott during a ceremony in Brownsville on Monday afternoon.

Violation of U.S. Constitution

The lawsuit claims that SB 4 violates the Supremacy Claus of the U.S. Constitution, which states that immigration enforcement falls under the federal government’s jurisdiction.

Impact on Legal Services

The lawsuit, brought by Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, American Gateways, and the County of El Paso, argues that the law’s expedited removal process would prevent Las Americas from reaching people who may have a legal basis to stay in the country. Las Americas provides legal services to migrants in federal immigration detention.

Overburdening County Jail

The lawsuit also claims that the number of arrests resulting from SB 4 would overburden the county jail, which is the main detention facility in El Paso County. According to the filing, the county estimates it will need to spend nearly $24 million per year to house these additional defendants and an additional $162 million to build more jail and bed space.

This is a developing story. Please come back for more updates.