Justice Department asks Supreme Court to block Texas law that allows police to arrest migrants

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Justice Department on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block a new Texas law that allows police to arrest migrants who enter the country illegally, setting up another legal showdown over the federal government’s authority over immigration.

The emergency request came after a federal appeals court over the weekend stayed U.S. District Judge David Ezra’s sweeping rejection of the law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who for months has unveiled a series of escalating measures on the border that have tested the boundaries of how far a state can go keep migrants from entering the country.

The law is set to take effect Saturday unless the Supreme Court intervenes. The Justice Department told the court that the law would profoundly alter “the status quo that has existed between the United States and the States in the context of immigration for almost 150 years.”

It went on to argue that the law would have “significant and immediate adverse effects” on the country’s relationship with Mexico and “create chaos” in enforcing federal immigration laws in Texas.

It is not clear how quickly the court might rule.

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