Civil rights groups sue over Texas law allowing state police to arrest illegal immigrants: ‘Unconstitutional’

Published May 5, 2026 11:59am ET | Updated May 5, 2026 11:59am ET



A coalition of civil rights organizations on Monday filed a lawsuit challenging a Texas law that makes illegal immigration a state crime.

The 2023 law, which allows state police to arrest individuals who cross the border illegally, had previously been blocked in lower courts. A federal appeals court lifted the ban in late April, allowing state police to detain illegal immigrants, effective later this month. 

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