Mexico came out Tuesday against Texas' immigration law that allows for the arrest of people suspected of illegally crossing the southern border following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, saying it won't accept the return of its citizens from the Lone Star state.
Mexico's Foreign Ministry said SB 4 criminalizes migrants, encourages the separation of families and racial discrimination and profiling. In a statement, it said Mexico rejects any measure that allows Texas to "exercise immigration control, and to arrest and return nationals or foreigners to Mexican territory."
"Mexico recognizes the importance of a uniform migration policy and the bilateral efforts with the United States to ensure that migration is safe, orderly and respectful of human rights, and is not affected by state or local legislative decisions. In this regard, Mexico will not accept, under any circumstances, repatriations by the State of Texas," the ministry said.
JUDGE RULES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE GUN RIGHTS PROTECTED BY 2ND AMENDMENT
Furthermore, Mexico plans to file a friend-of-the-court brief with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to provide information on the impact that SB 4 will have on Mexican and Mexican-American communities, including the impact on Mexican-U.S. relations.
Opponents of SB 4, which allows Texas authorities to arrest illegal immigrants who could face deportation or jail time, have heavily criticized the law. In a 6-3 decision, the high court on Tuesday said the statute can be enforced while it remains pending in a federal appeals court.
While the SCOTUS ruling was praised by Republicans, Democrats largely went in the opposite direction.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat, said the law will cause "extensive" damage to Latino communities while creating confusion for Texas law enforcement and judges.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the law unconstitutional, saying it is "just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions."
"We remain focused on delivering the significant policy changes and resources we need to secure the border. That is why we continue to call on congressional Republicans to pass the bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades," she said.
Texas Democrat Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said the law is part of a Republican strategy to turn the southern border into a political battleground.
"This inhumane border strategy will now force American citizens to carry passports in their own neighborhoods and enforce mass deportations of migrant women and children — all while overburdening local law enforcement," he said.
The law will place thousands of illegal immigrants in Texas in the state criminal justice system while deporting those "whose only crime is seeking a better life for their families and the American Dream," the Texas Democratic Party said in a statement.
