At a press conference last Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre criticized the recent passage of the law in Texas that facilitates deportations without due process, calling it “radical” and arguing that it “dehumanizes.” to migrants. However, Joe Biden’s administration did not specify whether it will file a lawsuit against the state to stop this legislation.
The law in question, known as SB4, was promoted by Republican Governor Greg Abbott and gives police and judges in Texas the power to detain and deport migrants without following the established legal process. Spokeswoman Jean-Pierre highlighted that this legislation, added to Abbott’s other anti-immigration policies, such as the installation of barbed wire on the border, contributes to a negative and dehumanizing image of those who come to the United States in search of better living conditions.
“This is not what we should be as a country,” Jean-Pierre said during the press conference, emphasizing that security in Texas communities near the border with Mexico will not be strengthened by this law. The spokesperson did not confirm whether the Biden Administration will take legal action against Texas, noting that this decision falls to the Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas and the Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP) have taken legal action and filed a lawsuit challenging SB4. These organizations argue that the legislation grants excessive powers to local authorities, allowing detentions and deportations without guaranteeing due process, which would violate the fundamental rights of migrants.
