DOJ Threatens Lawsuit if Texas Enforces Illegal Border Law
The Border Center for Journalists and Bloggers (BCJB) summarizes the top border news for December 29, 2023.
The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a threat to sue Texas if the state enforces its new immigration law, Senate Bill 4, which allows state police to arrest individuals suspected of illegally crossing the border. The Department of Justice contends that the law is unconstitutional and disrupts federal immigration and border enforcement responsibilities. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has until January 3 to formally commit to refraining from enforcing the law; otherwise, the Department of Justice will pursue legal action to prevent Texas from interfering with federal functions. Abbott has vowed to defend the law in court, arguing that it's necessary to combat illegal immigration. At the same time, Democrats welcome the DOJ's stance, asserting that the law is unconstitutional and diverts police resources from addressing real crimes.
Gov. Greg Abbott responds as NYC adds restrictions on buses bearing migrants from Texas
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has introduced new regulations to restrict charter buses carrying migrants from Texas, sent by Governor Greg Abbott, from entering the city without providing 32 hours' notice. The buses must also disclose information about the individuals being transported and adhere to specified drop-off locations in Manhattan during specific hours. Mayor Adams accused Abbott of using migrants as "political pawns." In response, Abbott's director of communications, Renae Eze, criticized the mayors of sanctuary cities for migrants, calling them hypocritical and suggesting they should focus on securing the border instead. Abbott has sent over 80,000 migrants to U.S. cities with Democratic mayors, pressuring President Joe Biden to address the record surge in border crossings.
Pro-immigrant organization ask Biden and AMLO to extend TPS
Representatives of the Coalition for Full Immigrant Rights (CDPI) held demonstrations outside the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles and Chicago, urging Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to propose to U.S. President Joe Biden the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to undocumented immigrant workers in the United States. The move comes after Biden asked Obrador to contain migrant flows through Mexico from Guatemala. CDPI's Juan José Gutiérrez presented a letter to Obrador explaining the need for TPS, citing the decades-long wait for comprehensive immigration reform and the essential contributions of undocumented workers during the pandemic. Activists argue that the Latino community's support for Biden's re-election could be affected if immigration reform remains unaddressed.
On December 28, the death of José Antonio Vera Palestina was reported in Tijuana, Baja California. Vera Palestina was the former chief of security for businessman Jorge Hank Rhon and had been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his involvement in the murder of journalist Héctor Félix Miranda. Initial reports suggested that Vera was hospitalized at Hospital Ángeles in Tijuana due to a purported cancer diagnosis. However, the exact cause of his death has not been officially confirmed by authorities or family members. Vera's passing was announced through an obituary from Grupo Caliente, signed by its founder, Hank Rhon. He had been released from prison on May 1, 2015, and had resumed his security duties for the businessman..