Texas has enacted a law that will make border crossings illegal and punishable with jail time, one of the toughest immigration laws passed by any US state in modern times.
Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, said it would “stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas”.
Immigration advocates have said the law will lead to racial profiling.
It comes amid rising illegal migration and public concern over US President Joe Biden’s handling of the border.
The new Texas measure has generated controversy because US courts have previously ruled that only the federal government can enforce immigration laws.