Supreme Court allows Texas to enforce new border law

Texas law enforcement can begin charging illegal border crossers with a state crime after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a procedural ruling Tuesday

The court issued two rulings in less than 24 hours this week, ultimately allowing Texas' border bill, SB 4, to go into effect. The opinion sends the case back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to hear arguments on the merits.

On Monday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito issued a third extended stay on the initial stay he ordered on March 4 to prevent the law from going into effect on March 5 until the court could rule on the matter. 

Alito first stayed a Fifth Circuit ruling that was issued for two consolidated lawsuits filed by the Department of Justice and El Paso County and nonprofit organizations, respectively. The two lawsuits were filed after Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 4 into law, which makes illegal entry into Texas from a foreign nation a state crime.