Ohio, South Carolina, 16 others join Texas’ illegal immigration fight

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(The Center Square) – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson have taken up Texas’ fight to enforce its immigration law.

The two prosecutors, both from states where points of entry from other counties are possible through Lake Erie and the Atlantic Ocean, said Thursday their amicus brief leads a group of 18 states in asking for a full federal appeals court review and reversal of a district court ruling.

Illegal immigration is a violation of state law in Texas, with deportation possible through penalty of conviction. The ruling blocks the state from enforcing its law.

“This flawed legal analysis by a divided panel of judges would erode the constitutional right of states to enforce their own laws,” Yost said in a release. “State sovereignty is at stake, and a threat of that magnitude demands a careful review by the full appeals court.”

The attorneys general believe the ruling “diminished every state’s sovereignty.” The District Court said Texas’ law likely conflicts with the federal government’s exclusive power over immigration policy.

The new amicus brief filed Thursday argues states have the right to pass legislation that protects their residents’ safety, saying illegal crossings at the southern border impact public safety, health care and state resources.

Joining Yost and Wilson in signing the brief are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.