Tensions at the border are at an all-time high. This Monday, civil rights advocates launched a legal “swipe” against the state of Texas, filing a new lawsuit to block the most aggressive parts of SB4.
This regulation, described as one of the most extreme in U.S. history, gives local police the power to arrest and deport anyone suspected of having crossed the border illegally.
The clock is ticking: May 15 is the key date
A new lawsuit targets a Texas law that allows local police to arrest immigrants suspected of illegally entering the country. https://t.co/IzEMoFaoZZ pic.twitter.com/R56NteMrN3
– Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) May 4, 2026
The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and the Texas Civil Rights Project formally petitioned a federal court for an emergency injunction.
The objective? To prevent SB4 from taking effect this coming May 15.
Although the law was passed in 2023, it has been in a constant legal “tug-of-war,” but a recent appeals court ruling threatened to give it the green light.
Why so much fear of SB4?
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against SB4, which would allow local police and judges to detain and deport migrants ⚖️
The measure, pushed by Greg Abbott, has been criticized as one of the harshest in the U.S. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/u2tk5Vnl9c– El Financiero (@ElFinanciero_Mx) May 5, 2026
The regulation does not play games: it classifies irregular entry as a state crime with penalties ranging from 6 months to 20 years in prison for repeat offenders.
The lawsuit seeks to overturn four key provisions, among them the power of state judges to order deportations, a power that, according to experts, belongs exclusively to the federal government.
“SB4 would transform our police into immigration agents, threatening even those with legal status,” warned Adriana Piñon, legal director of the ACLU of Texas.
While Governor Greg Abbott maintains his iron fist, the immigrant community lives hours of anguish waiting for the final ruling.
What does SB4 really consist of?
BREAKING: We and partners filed a class-action lawsuit to block provisions of Senate Bill 4 before May 15.
This law would allow police to arrest, detain, and remove people they suspect entered Texas without federal authorization.
– ACLU of Texas (@ACLUTx) May 4, 2026
To understand the magnitude of the controversy, one must unpack the “poison” of this law: SB4 is not just an administrative measure, but a tool that criminalizes migration at the state level.
Under this rule, irregular entry from Mexico into Texas becomes a state offense, allowing any law enforcement officer to detain individuals based on their appearance or suspected status.
But most alarming is the power it gives to local magistrates: Texas judges could issue immediate deportation orders, forcing detainees to return to Mexico regardless of their country of origin and without going through a federal immigration court.
In addition, it contemplates severe penalties ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison for those who attempt to reenter the state, completely ignoring any asylum cases or immigration proceedings that individuals may already have pending before the U.S. government.
Filed as: Lawsuit SB4 Texas Law
