Texas
Federal judge blocks Texas’ immigration enforcement law SB 4: Here’s what’s next
Texas cannot enforce a new set of immigration laws the state Legislature passed last year after a federal judge’s ruling Thursday.
Judge David Ezra of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas decided to enjoin Senate Bill 4 from going into effect next week. He agreed with constitutional concerns raised by federal prosecutors at a hearing earlier this month that immigration enforcement is well beyond the purview of state governments.
“Several factors warrant an injunction,” Ezra wrote in his ruling to enjoin SB 4. “First, the Supremacy Clause and Supreme Court precedent affirm that states may not exercise immigration enforcement power except as authorized by the federal government.”
Ezra similarly indicated further concerns over conflicting provisions between SB 4 and federal immigration law, which would be “to the detriment of the United States’ foreign relations and treaty obligations.”
Texas’ lawyers filed an immediate appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit shortly after Ezra’s ruling.
What is Texas Senate Bill 4?
SB 4 increased penalties for anyone suspected of crossing the U.S-Mexico border in Texas outside of a legal international port of entry.
The legislation allows state law enforcement officers to arrest, detain and deport individuals suspected of crossing the border illegally. It also mirrors the federal law that makes illegal entry at the U.S. border a misdemeanor and illegal re-entry a felony.
The bill would require people accused of illegally crossing the state’s southern border to either accept a magistrate judge’s deportation order or face a second-degree felony charge for noncompliance. The Legislature passed the bill in November during a special session and it was set to go into effect on March 5.
Judge rejects claims immigration surges are an invasion
Striking against the heart of Texas’ argument laid out Feb. 15, Ezra found that an influx of migrants and immigration surges do not invoke the meaning of an “invasion”, and Texas would not be engaging in its limited war powers by enforcing SB 4.
Additional issues with the law could frustrate the asylum processes and allow for the incarceration of noncitizens before their possible removal, making it substantially harder for those noncitizens to apply for asylum after entering the country, Ezra wrote.
Federal prosecutors filed their lawsuit against the state in January and joined previous suits filed late last year challenging SB 4 by the ACLU, ACLU of Texas, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, American Gateways, the Texas Civil Rights Project and the County of El Paso.
“El Paso County applauds the court’s clear confirmation today that immigration policies rest solely under Federal jurisdiction, and the state of Texas’ interference with the U.S. Constitution will not be tolerated,” said El Paso County Commissioner Iliana Holguin in a statement after the ruling. “A piecemeal approach from individual states on federal matters such as immigration enforcement would put an undue burden on local taxpayers, while opening the door to potential civil rights violations for border residents and immigrants alike.”
Greg Abbott says Texas will appeal ruling
Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to continue fighting to enact SB 4, adding that an immediate appeal is necessary in response to the Biden Administration’s border policies. He emphasized the need for Republicans to keep pushing the border conversation ahead of the March 5 primary election.
“Texas will immediately appeal this decision, and we will not back down in our fight to protect our state—and our nation—from President Biden’s border crisis,” Abbott said in a statement. “Texas has the right to defend itself because of President Biden’s ongoing failure to fulfill his duty to protect our state from the invasion at our southern border.”
Abbott mentioned Ezra’s acknowledgment that the case will “ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Bipartisan vote: House passes short-term deal to avert devastating partial government shutdown
Joe Biden, Donald Trump both visit Texas-Mexico border
President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump are both visiting the Texas-Mexico border Thursday.
For the second time during his presidency, Biden is visiting the state to address border security and criticize Republicans derailing a border bill this month. During his trip in Brownsville, Biden was expected to speak with federal immigration agents, law enforcement officials and local government regarding his push for Congress to quickly pass border security legislation.
Meanwhile 325 miles northwest, the GOP frontrunner was scheduled to visit Eagle Pass, where a standoff between the federal government and the states has occurred over border security. Abbott joined Trump to provide an update on the state’s unprecedented response to “President Biden’s border crisis,” he said on X (formerly Twitter).
The dueling visits come as a Pew Research Center poll released this week shows that 80% of Americans believe immigration has become the most crucial issue in the nation, for the first time since the last decade.
Contributing: Lauren Villagran
A Brazilian fitness influencer has died after getting into difficulty during the swimming portion of an ironman event in Texas.
Mara Flavia Souza Araujo was reported as a “lost swimmer” around 7.30am at the Ironman Texas in Lake Woodlands near Houston on Saturday. According to KPRC 2 News, safety crews could not immediately locate Araujo. The 38-year-old’s body was discovered around 90 minutes later in 10ft of water by divers. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department confirmed her identity in a statement to NBC on Monday.
“MCSO can confirm that Mara Flavia Souza Araujo, 38, of Brazil died while competing in the Ironman event in The Woodlands on Saturday,” the sheriff’s department told NBC News. “Preliminary investigations indicate she drowned during the swimming portion of the event.”
Araujo was an experienced triathlete and had completed at least nine ironman events since 2018. She had more than 60,000 followers on Instagram and had posted about the importance of making the most out of life in the days before her death.
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“Enjoy this ride on the bullet train that is life,” she wrote in Portuguese. “And even with the speed of the machine blurring the landscape, look out the window – for at any moment, the train will drop you off at the eternal station.”
Organizers of the race expressed their condolences on Saturday.
“We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the athlete and will offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time,” race organizers said in a statement on Saturday. “Our gratitude goes out to the first responders for their assistance.”
A glamorous triathlete who drowned during an Ironman competition in Texas shared a photo from a swimming pool during a final training session just two days before the tragic race.
Brazilian influencer Mara Flávia, 38, shared the shot of her on the edge of a pool on Thursday — two days before she vanished during an open-water swim in The Woodlands Saturday morning.
“Just another day at work,” Flávia, 38, wrote in Portuguese alongside the pic of her wearing a matching pink swimming costume and cap.
The influencer, who had more than 60,000 followers online, chose the Robin S track “Show Me Love” for her post with the hashtags “triathlon,” “swimming” and “triathlete.”
Flávia vanished during an open-water swim in The Woodlands Saturday morning – the first of three grueling trials that competitors face during the 140-mile race.
Fire crews were told about a “lost swimmer” at around 7:30 a.m., one hour into the pro-female swim, KPRC reported.
Rescuers battled challenging visibility conditions before Flávia’s body was pulled from the water just after 9:30 a.m.
Montgomery County Sheriffs confirmed that the victim “drowned while participating in the swim portion of the event,” according to a statement. The office said its Major Crimes unit will continue the investigation “per normal protocols.”
Shawn McDonald, a volunteer, recounted the commotion before the swimmer’s body was recovered.
The dad, who volunteered with his daughter Mila, 12, said a group of younger volunteers in a kayak raised a flag and blew their whistles, “yelling for help.”
“I heard them say she went under,” he wrote on Facebook.
“I had Mila hand me the paddle and I started calling out to the athletes around us to stop so I could cross. I made my way over in about 30 seconds.
“When I got there and asked what happened, they all said the same thing: She went under. Right here. Right below us. The panic and fear on their faces won’t leave me for a long time.”
The volunteer recalled how one man had a “thousand-yard stare” on his face – before diving into the water in a desperate bid to find Flávia.
“I dove in immediately and began searching. After about a minute underwater, I felt her body with my foot. I surfaced, took what seemed like the deepest breath I have ever taken and went back down. She was gone.”
Boats with sonar combed the area – and McDonald was told to leave the water before the body was recovered.
“The victim was found in about 10 feet of water on the bottom of the lake,” Buck said. “The dive team accessed the victim, brought her up about 9:37 and then brought her over to the shore where she was pronounced DOS [deceased on scene],” Palmer Buck, the Woodlands fire chief, said.
It’s not known what caused the triathlete to go under the water.
Journalism grad Flávia previously worked in radio and television before pursuing a sporting career at age 28.
She previously twice won the Brazilian Grand Prix, and finished third in the Brasilia triathlon event.
Lady Vols basketball is looking to add more pieces to its 2026-27 roster with high-level experience. After completing her junior season at Texas A&M, Fatmata Janneh has emerged as a Tennessee target for her final year of eligibility. According to her Instagram story on Sunday night, she is in Knoxville.
With the Aggies a year ago, the 6-foot-2 forward averaged 11.4 points per game on 43.3% shooting from the field. She also showed off an ability to hit from range, posting 1.1 makes per game on 33% shooting from three.
Perhaps Janneh’s biggest strength is her rebounding, though. She ripped down 9.7 boards per contest, good for the fifth-most in the SEC. This featured 2.6 rebounds on the offensive end per outing.
Janneh also averaged 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. She appeared in 27 games, starting in each.
More From RTI: How Watching The NCAA Tournament Drew Terrence Hill Jr. To Tennessee Basketball
Janneh started her career with a pair of seasons at St. Peter’s. As a sophomore, she averaged a double-double, posting 18.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. This made her a sought-after transfer in the portal before landing at Texas A&M as the nation’s leading defensive rebounder. As a freshman, she averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.
The forward is from London, England, attending Barking Abbey Sixth Form for her prep ball. She would be the second player from England to join the Tennessee roster if she committed. UT also added the commitment of incoming freshman and former Boston College signee Irene Oboavwoduo this offseason.
So far, Caldwell and the Lady Vols have landed five transfers in this portal cycle. This features Liberty guard Avery Mills, Northern Arizona guard Naomi White, Stanford forward Harper Peterson and Georgia forward Zhen Craft and guard Rylie Theuerkauf.
Tennessee will also roster a pair of incoming freshmen. Four-star recruit and top-50 prospect Gabby Minus is staying true to her signing despite the roster overhaul and assistant coaching changes, along with the addition of Oboavwoduo.
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