Supreme Court Allows Texas to Dictate Nationwide Immigration Enforcement for DHS

22 JUL 2022

Supreme Court Allows Texas to Dictate Nationwide Immigration Enforcement for DHS

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to reject the Biden Administration’s bid to terminate a nationwide injunction against implementation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) prosecutorial discretion guidelines. In September, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued guidelines to focus its limited resources on the noncitizens who pose the gravest threat to national security and public safety. The policy was also an effort by the Administration to undo Trump’s cruel approach to immigration enforcement that threatened many families with the risk of separation, detention and deportation. 

Kerri Talbot, Deputy Director of the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement:

“All law enforcement agencies use prosecutorial discretion to ensure that their limited resources are used effectively for the most serious threats to public safety. Immigration law enforcement is controlled by the federal government and the state of Texas should not be permitted to play politics with our immigration system by continually imposing its will on the rest of the nation through right-wing Texas judges and misguided policies. 

“Coming off four years of chaotic and egregious policies that separated thousands of families and left communities living in fear, the Biden-Harris administration made critical reforms to immigration enforcement. While much is left to do to ensure a more fair and humane system, these changes have been a critical step towards safer and more stable communities. They also have been critical in ensuring resources are not weaponized against undocumented immigrants who have been on the front lines of the pandemic as essential workers. This is especially important as our nation continues to grapple with severe labor shortages in areas such as agriculture and healthcare.  

“While we wait for the Court to take up this case, the agency’s efforts to direct its limited resources in the best manner possible will be disrupted as families will once again fear the worst— separation, detention and deportation.”

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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.