NEW ORLEANS — The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday will hear arguments over Senate Bill 4, Texas' controversial immigration bill that would allow local and state law enforcement to arrest, detain and deport people suspected of crossing the border illegally.

What You Need To Know

  • The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday will hear arguments over Senate Bill 4, the controversial immigration bill that would allow local and state law enforcement in Texas to arrest, detain and deport people suspected of crossing the border illegally

  • The ACLU and Mexico have warned that the law would lead to racial profiling and discrimination

  • Arguments begin at 9 a.m. and proceedings are expected to last approximately two hours

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 4 into law back in December 2023. The bill is just one of the governor's extreme measures to prevent migrants from entering the state.

SB 4 was in effect for several hours in March until it was blocked by the appeals court. It has remained blocked since March 27, when the appeals court denied Texas’ motion for a stay.

Mexico in late March filed an amicus brief to urge the appeals court to consider how to law would affect Latinos and Mexican nationals living in the U.S.

Organizations like the ACLU have argued that the bill would lead to discrimination.

“Advocates have warned that the law will separate families and directly lead to racial profiling, subjecting thousands of Black and Brown Texans to a state prison system that is rife with civil rights abuses,” the ACLU wrote in a statement on Wednesday.

The ACLU, its Texas branch and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit back in January challenging the constitutionality of the bill.

Abbott and other proponents have repeatedly blamed the Biden administration for the crisis at the southern border and have pledged to do everything possible to secure it. The bill's author said the law likely will have few effects away from the border. 

Cody Wofsy, deputy project director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, will present arguments at the hearing on behalf of the ACLU of Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, El Paso County, American Gateways and Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center.

Arguments begin at 9 a.m. and proceedings are expected to last approximately two hours.