President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico voiced his strong disapproval of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's recent signing of a law that grants peace officers the authority to arrest individuals suspected of entering the country illegally. López Obrador accused Abbott of pursuing the Republican vice presidential nomination and criticized him for overlooking the historical ties between Texas and Mexico. The Mexican president vowed to defend Mexican citizens and migrants, emphasizing that Mexico has already launched a legal challenge against the law.

Abbott signed the law on Monday, making illegal entry into the country a state crime categorized as a misdemeanor. The law allows peace officers, including local police officers and security officers of the state medical board, to inquire about a person's citizenship and immigrant status if they suspect they entered the U.S. unlawfully. If confirmed, a magistrate can order their deportation.

During a news conference on Tuesday, López Obrador chastised Abbott, warning him that his measures would not garner popularity but instead cause him to lose sympathy, particularly among the large population of Mexicans and migrants in Texas. López Obrador reminded Abbott that Texas was once part of Mexico and urged him not to forget the contributions that migrants have made in building and strengthening the United States.

Furthermore, López Obrador criticized Abbott for transporting immigrants to various cities without coordinating with the receiving municipalities, including New York, Chicago, and even the residence of Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington, D.C. He cited Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, who had also enacted stringent immigration laws that resulted in an exodus of immigrants, workers, and their families, including U.S. citizens and legal residents. López Obrador warned Abbott against falling into a similar political fate as DeSantis, who saw his popularity decline following the implementation of such measures.

Abbott's press office did not respond to López Obrador's specific criticism, but in a statement, Abbott argued that President Joe Biden had failed to secure the border, giving Texas the constitutional authority to take action. The governor has been running his own immigration operation in Texas for years, using the state's Department of Public Safety troopers to monitor the border and make arrests for criminal trespassing.

This is not the first time Abbott has faced opposition over his immigration policies. Recently, he had to remove large buoys placed in the Rio Grande, as experts determined they were located in Mexican territory. In addition to the new illegal entry arrest law, Abbott has also signed a bill allocating $1.5 billion for border wall construction, increasing the total spending on his state-run border-immigration operation to approximately $10 billion.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit, challenging the law's constitutionality. The complaint argues that the law violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by authorizing Texas judges to order deportation, regardless of a person's eligibility to seek asylum or other federal humanitarian protections. The ACLU expressed concerns that the law could disproportionately affect Black and brown individuals, and that it is prone to errors.

Enforcing the new law may also prove challenging for some communities, as certain counties and law enforcement agencies have expressed concerns about the potential costs involved. For instance, the police department in Arlington, Texas, believes that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and that the federal government is better equipped to handle such matters.

As Mexico and Texas navigate their differences on immigration policies, the legal battle over the controversial law is expected to continue.