A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking a new Texas law, Senate Bill 4, that sought to make illegal immigration a state crime. U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra of the Western District of Texas issued the ruling, preventing the law from taking effect next week. The legislation would have allowed state authorities to arrest and jail undocumented immigrants, with state judges having the power to order deportations.

The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by Immigration and civil rights groups against Texas after Governor Gregg Abbott signed the law in December. The judge stated that states are not authorized to exercise immigration enforcement power except as permitted by the federal government.

The law, aimed at curbing illegal entry into the state, would have given migrants in Texas custody the choice to leave the U.S. as ordered by a judge or face prosecution for misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Failure to comply could result in arrest on more severe felony charges.

The measure by Texas to police immigration has faced criticism, with opponents viewing it as one of the strictest attempts by a state to crack down on immigrants since the 2010 Arizona law struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Thirty former U.S. immigration judges have condemned the Texas law as unconstitutional.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Department of Justice, and other groups filed a lawsuit arguing the law's unconstitutionality. Following the federal judge's decision, the ACLU celebrated the victory in blocking the anti-immigrant law from taking effect on March 5, stating it upholds Texas values, human rights, and the Constitution.

Texas officials have not yet released a statement regarding the court's decision. Fox News reporters Bill Melugin and Bradford Betz contributed to the report, with Chris Pandolfo as a writer for Fox News Digital. The ruling highlights the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policies and enforcement measures in the United States.