US Appeals Court Pauses Order Targeting Texas Illegal Immigration Law

A U.S. appeals court paused a lower court ruling that had placed a temporary hold on a Texas law, set to go into effect, which granted powers to prosecute and arrest illegal immigrants who had recently crossed the border. The Texas law would make it a state crime to illegally enter or re-enter Texas from a foreign country and would give state and local law enforcement the power to arrest and prosecute violators. It would also allow state judges to order individuals to leave the country, imposing prison sentences of up to 20 years for those who refuse to comply. The order from the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means that the legislature-passed law known as SB4 may go into effect soon. It overturned the lower court’s ruling on March 1, or one day after it was blocked....