Chicago, IL – “The Supreme Court decision that will allow the racist and xenophobic Texas Governor to impose his own immigration laws and policing force is essentially “lynching” federal immigration laws and torching US foreign policy.” said Oscar Chacón, Executive Director of Alianza Americas. “The High Court is sowing chaos by allowing any extremist state Governor to decide which federal laws he or she can ignore.If this stands, it will ultimately destroy the United States’ democracy and rule of law.” added Chacón.
Irrespective to whether Abbot prevails ultimately or not, thousands of immigrants and asylum seekers have been left without protection by the fig leaf of federal laws and instead face the crushing jackboots of Abbot and his barbed-wire wielding thugs. The Abbott-created violence this decision will spawn against immigrants is abetted by the Supreme Court, whose ruling takes us back to pre-civil-war Supreme High Court rulings that defended brutal slavery.
This decision helps to deepen the negative prejudice about immigrants and immigration that has been consistently proposed and advanced by political forces committed to dividing our society, and to foster chaos. Sadly, the lives of human beings, including entire families, who are seeking a safe place to live and prosper, will likely see their aspiration brought to a violent end. Taking into consideration the ample evidence showing the highly positive effect immigrants and immigration have had in every area of U.S. society, it is regretful that the U.S. Supreme Court seems to be siding with those embracing lies and hate, as opposed to those embracing common sense and rationality.
It is unthinkable in 2024, that the Supreme Court could entertain the thought that a state Governor could supersede federal laws. The logical implication of this preliminary decision by the highest court in the nation is that every state may be invited to articulate their own policies when it comes to immigrants, immigration policy, and beyond. This is a predicament that could easily evolve into more dysfunctionality by existing democratic institutions in the nation, which ultimately strengthen proponents of extremist and anti-democratic ways of governing the United States of America.
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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.
