SAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the state of Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott over the executive order the governor issued on Wednesday that allowed Department of Public Safety troopers to restrict lawful ground transportation of migrants.
The federal government says the executive order violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
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The executive order directed state troopers to pull over vehicles suspected of carrying migrants on the basis they could be spreading COVID-19. The DOJ lawsuit says the order issued jeopardizes the health and safety of noncitizens in federal custody and puts law enforcement personnel and their families at risk of getting COVID-19.
The DOJ claims the order also obstructs the federal government’s arrangements with nongovernmental partners and directly interferes with federal immigration law.
Abbott responded to the lawsuit with the following statement.
“I have the authority, and duty, under the constitutions of the United States and of Texas to protect Texans and our nation.
I also have the authority under long-established emergency response laws to control the movement of people to better contain the spread of a disaster, such as those known to have COVID-19.”
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