State Border Defense Act

HR 6074, the State Border Defense Act, authorizes state and local law enforcement officers in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas to enforce federal immigration laws prohibiting unlawful entry into the U.S., directly affecting these states' officers and prosecutors. The bill allows state prosecutors to initiate federal immigration prosecutions in U.S. District Court and directly overturns the Supreme Court's 2012 Arizona v. United States ruling. It also permits these states to construct barriers on federal lands or waters to prevent unlawful border crossings, provided the barriers do not hinder border patrol operations or impede lawful travel. The bill explicitly states such barriers cannot be used as a defense against claims of unlawful conduct beyond their stated border security purpose.