In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott has signed a bill into law allowing local law enforcement to arrest immigrants and asylum seekers and charge them with a state crime for crossing the U.S.-Mexico border outside ports of entry. The new crime would be punishable by up to six months in jail, while Texas judges would have the authority to drop the charges if a migrant “agrees” to be returned to Mexico. Governor Abbott spoke from a section of border wall in the Rio Grande Valley Monday, where he also signed two other bills further militarizing the U.S.-Mexico border.

Gov. Greg Abbott: “The goal of Senate Bill 4 is to stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas. It creates a criminal offense for illegal entry into Texas from a foreign nation. … Senate Bill 3 adds $1.54 billion more to build more border barriers and walls, like what we have here. It includes also $40 million for the Texas Department of Public Safety for border security operations and increased law enforcement presence.”

Texas Democrats and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are urging the Justice Department to block Senate Bill 4. On Monday, they wrote in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, “This bill is set to be the most extreme anti-immigrant state bill in the United States; it is clearly preempted by federal law and when it goes into effect will likely result in racial profiling, significant due process violations, and unlawful arrests of citizens, lawful permanent residents, and others.”

On Saturday, the White House hosted an online meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus after members warned President Biden against agreeing to Republican demands to further crack down on immigrants and asylum seekers as part of a military aid package for Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel.