SB4, the controversial Texas law that allows state police to arrest people suspected of crossing into the U.S. illegally, was in a federal appeals court Wednesday.
The law would make it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally and allow state law enforcement to turn migrants back across the border to Mexico — even if they’re not actually from Mexico.
Mexican government officials have already said their country would not accept those returns.
"The government of Mexico has made very clear that the coordination ... will be with the U.S. government, as according to the law and constitution, and our international treaties, not local authorities, particularly those who are trying to profit politically from this legislation," said Rafael Barceló Durazo, Mexico consul in Tucson
Barceló said just like SB1070 — the Arizona law that had local law enforcement to ask for proof of legal U.S. residency — SB4 is hurting migrant communities and sowing distrust.
"That was very clear in SB1070, it’s very clear in the SB4 in Texas ... those are not [laws] that are going to help the migratory flows," Barceló said.
A court order has barred SB4 from going into effect for now, and an appeals court heard arguments about whether that hold would remain.
