Texas Scores Major Legal Win on Deportation Enforcement

A new decision from the Fifth Circuit Court has opened the door for the state of Texas to begin conducting their own immigration enforcement.

Senate Bill 4 had made it a state-level crime to enter Texas illegally. It further prohibited state and local agencies from refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, and required magistrates to pursue criminal prosecutions for violators even if the perpetrator had an outstanding federal immigration case. Above all, it allows the state judiciary to carry out deportations independent of the federal government.

In May, a district court blocked several key provisions of the law from going into effect, notably the ability for the state to issue its own orders of removal and the criminality for refusing to comply with such removal orders. That decision was reversed by the latest.

Governor Greg Abbott hailed the decision as a victory for the state on social media.

While certainly a victory for immigration stalwarts in Texas, SB 4 is sure to face continued legal battles.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/05/31/texas-scores-major-legal-win-on-deportation-enforcement-n2676962