Mexico Filed a Friend-of-the-Court Brief in Federal Court on Texas SB 4

AP Photo/Anthony Vazquez

Mexico filed a friend-of-the-court brief on Thursday which argues that Texas SB 4 could lead to harassment, arrest, and expulsion of Mexican citizens. It could also do the same to those who simply look Latino. 

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This is the narrative that progressives are taking in talking about SB 4. The immigration law allows Texas law enforcement to stop anyone who is perceived as an illegal alien and if proper documentation cannot be provided, that person can be detained. The next step would be to appear before an immigration judge who would be required to deport the illegal alien. The assumption by progressives and other Democrats is that all law enforcement officers in Texas are racist. Democrats want to paint a picture of widespread random stops by law enforcement, as though all brown-skinned people will be rounded up and detained. That's quite a fairy tale. 

SB 4 makes it a criminal offense to illegally cross the border into Texas at the Mexican border. This is common sense. Illegally entering the United States is a crime. Currently, Texas law enforcement arrests illegal aliens on a criminal trespassing charge. 

When SB 4 went into effect for a brief 9 hours earlier this week before being halted again, Mexico's foreign ministry said that it would not accept those who are deported under SB 4. Mexico released a statement. 

Here is part of that statement

On behalf of the Government of Mexico, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the entry into force of Texas law SB4, which seeks to stop the flow of migrants by criminalizing them, and encouraging the separation of families, discrimination and racial profiling that violate the human rights of the migrant community.

As stated since the law was debated in the Texas legislature last year, Mexico categorically rejects any measure that allows state or local authorities to exercise immigration control, and to arrest and return nationals or foreigners to Mexican territory.

Mexico also questions legal provisions that affect the human rights of the more than 10 million people of Mexican origin who live in Texas, and give rise to hostile environments in which the migrant community is exposed to hate speech, discrimination and racial profiling.

Mexico reiterates its legitimate right to protect the rights of its nationals in the United States and to determine its own policies regarding entry into its 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.

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Mexico doesn't control U.S. immigration policy, though it sounds like it thinks it does. There is no automatic right of anyone from another country to be in the United States, regardless of what Mexico thinks. If a non-citizen is allowed into this country, there are paperwork requirements that must be observed. At the least, the person must show identification. 

The friend-of-the-court brief filed with the 5th Circuit of Appeals, where the case is being argued is meant to quash the law by providing information on its impact on the Mexican-American community and the Mexico-United States relationship. 

The Biden administration sides with Mexico, not Texas, in efforts to secure the southern border. White House spokesditz Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that SB 4 is "harmful and unconstitutional."

"We fundamentally disagree with the Supreme Court's order allowing Texas' harmful and unconstitutional law to go into effect," she said.

"S.B. 4 will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement, and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border. S.B. 4 is just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions."

Mexico said there is fear among Mexican nationals living in Texas.

"Mexico is deeply concerned that S.B. 4 will be applied in a discriminatory manner and fears that its enforcement will lead to improper harassment, detention, removal and criminalization of Mexican citizens and individuals of Latino appearance," it said.

"If S.B. 4 is permitted to take effect, Texas would become a 'show me your papers' state, unconstitutionally restricting freedom and diminishing the civil and constitutional rights and dignity of Latinos who live in and visit Texas."

Mexico said it is advising nationals who live or wish to travel to Texas to be informed about their rights concerning racial profiling and anti-immigrant and discriminatory acts.

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It will take strong measures to turn around the Biden border crisis. There is no dignity among lawbreakers. If a person breaks American immigration law to illegally cross from Mexico, what makes anyone think they will abide by other American laws? 

Joe Biden's wide open border is intentional. When Trump was in office, he threatened tariffs on Mexico if the country didn't cooperate on securing the border. Mexico worked with Trump. Joe Biden wants an open border. Mexican officials know that and that is why they defy what Texas is trying to do to secure the state's border with Mexico. Illegal border crossers feel emboldened by Biden's lack of enforcement of the laws already on the books. 

The only solution is new leadership in the White House. That must happen in November in order to secure the southern border and begin to enforce current laws. 






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