APD says it's 'aware' of court order putting SB 4 on hold, officers will not enforce law
"APD has informed its officers that they are not to enforce SB 4 pending further developments in the courts," the statement said.
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department said it is aware of a late Tuesday night court decision that put a Texas law known as Senate Bill 4 on hold once again after a legal back-and-forth on whether the law could be enforced.
The Associated Press reported a federal appeals court late Tuesday issued an order that again prevents Texas from arresting migrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally, hours after the Supreme Court allowed the strict new immigration law to take effect.
The department posted a statement on social media Wednesday morning stating it "is aware of the Fifth Circuit's order."
"APD has informed its officers that they are not to enforce SB 4 pending further developments in the courts," the statement said.
AP said in its reporting the law is "considered by opponents to be the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. Critics have also said the Texas law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling."
SB 4 would make illegal immigration a state crime, which would allow state and local law enforcement to arrest people suspected of crossing the U.S. Mexico border who could then face deportation to Mexico or jail time.
It also means that state and municipal judges could rule to deport the migrants, Border Report reported, and law enforcement could be the ones to physically drive the migrants to the border and tell them to walk across a bridge to Mexico, which said Tuesday it will not “under any circumstances” accept the return of any migrants to its territory from the state of Texas. Mexico is not required to accept deportations of anyone except Mexican citizens.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing arguments in the case Wednesday morning starting at 10 a.m.