In a recent interview on Fox News Sunday, host Shannon Bream questioned Texas Governor Greg Abbott about a newly enacted state law that has raised concerns about its potential clash with a U.S. Supreme Court precedent.
According to Newsweek, the law, signed by Abbott last month, permits state and local law enforcement to arrest migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Texas, arguing that the law violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, giving federal law precedence over state law.
During the interview, Bream referenced the 2012 Supreme Court case Arizona v. United States, where the Court rejected certain provisions of an Arizona immigration law. In that case, Justice Anthony Kennedy emphasized that states must not pursue policies undermining federal law in their efforts to address illegal immigration.
Abbott argued that Texas’ law was carefully crafted to avoid conflicting with federal law, distinguishing it from the Arizona case. He also criticized the federal government for not effectively enforcing immigration laws passed by Congress, claiming that the Texas law simply aims to enforce existing federal laws.
Bream challenged Abbott’s position, suggesting that Texas might be encroaching on federal responsibilities by arresting individuals for immigration violations. Abbott defended the law, emphasizing that the federal government’s failure to enforce existing laws opens the door for Texas to act in a manner aligned with those laws, as first reported by Newsweek.
As tensions rise over immigration policies, the DOJ’s legal battle against Texas reflects broader disagreements between state and federal authorities. Republicans in Congress have been advocating for stricter immigration laws to address what they deem a crisis at the southern border, while President Joe Biden attributes challenges to a lack of bipartisan cooperation on comprehensive immigration reform.
