GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas declared on Thursday that a Texas law granting state authorities the ability to arrest and deport migrants who entered the country illegally is unconstitutional.
During a joint news conference with Guatemala President Bernardo Arévalo in the Guatemalan capital, Mayorkas stated, “It is our strongly held view as a matter of law that SB4 (the Texas law) … is unconstitutional, and it is our hope and confidence that the courts will strike it down with finality.”
The Texas law, passed last year, permits the state to detain and deport individuals who enter the U.S. unlawfully. The U.S. Justice Department has challenged the law, asserting it as a clear infringement on federal authority.
While a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on the Texas law Wednesday, no ruling has been made, and the law is currently on hold.
In a subsequent interview with The Associated Press, Mayorkas expressed concern, stating, “Should SB4 be permitted to proceed, we are very concerned about the effect it would have and the chaos that it could bring to the challenge of border migration.”
Mayorkas described the U.S.-led regional strategy towards immigration as aimed at establishing “lawful, safe, and orderly pathways for people to reach safety from their place of persecution,” while also highlighting the importance of returning individuals to their countries when they do not utilize these lawful pathways.
The U.S. has endeavored to enhance cooperation with countries along the migrant route, including Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. However, Mayorkas noted challenges in Nicaragua and Venezuela due to strained relations with those governments.
Acknowledging Guatemala’s role, Mayorkas stated, “We know that the forces of corruption continue to seek to threaten democracy and the well-being of the people of Guatemala and beyond,” pledging U.S. support for President Arévalo’s fight for democracy.
Source: PBS
