CHC Leadership, CHC Texas Border Members Decry Texas Anti-Immigrant Law

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the leadership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) issued a joint statement with CHC Texas border Members Reps. Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), and Veronica Escobar (TX-16) in response to the 5th Circuit’s ruling late last night to once again block the implementation of SB 4, Texas anti-immigrant law:

“The recent ruling by the appeals court to once again block SB 4’s implementation is a brief sigh of relief for Texas’ communities, especially for Black and Brown communities across the state. This ruling, which comes hours after the Supreme Court majority decision allowed Texas to move forward with SB 4, helps avoid more chaos and confusion,” said the Members. 

"The CHC remains deeply concerned that the conservative justices of the Supreme Court effectively allowed SB 4, an anti-immigrant law, to go into effect until the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals' last-minute decision. If implemented, SB 4 will exacerbate racial and ethnic profiling, undermine the rights of asylum-seekers, and put innocent people at risk of harassment and target them on basis of their suspected immigration status throughout the Lone Star State. SB 4 will embolden law enforcement officers to act as immigration officials. This is dangerous, and will sow fear and chaos, not only among the immigrant community across Texas, but among anyone who local law enforcement doesn’t think looks American enough, including the more than 11 million Latino-Texans who call the state home,” continued the Members. 

“Since Chy Lung v Freeman in 1875, the Supreme Court has made clear that the enforcement of immigration laws is the exclusive responsibility of the federal government. We hope the outcome of the ongoing litigation will find SB 4 unconstitutional and strike down this anti-immigrant law,” concluded the Members.

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