A federal appeals court has frozen Texas’ controversial immigration law, one of the toughest laws of its kind enacted by a US state in modern times.
The decision came just hours after the Supreme Court allowed the measure, SB4, to take effect pending an appeal.
The measure would allow officials in the state to detain and prosecute unauthorised migrants.
Mexico has refused to accept any migrants deported by Texas under the new law.
The Biden administration has challenged SB4, calling it unconstitutional.
The decision to freeze the law is the latest in a string of rulings deciding its fate.
Crossing the US border illegally is already a federal crime, but violations are usually handled as civil cases by the immigration court system.
