HUFF POST: Several provisions of a harsh Alabama immigration law were blocked by a federal appeals court on Friday, ending their enforcement until the court can determine whether the law violates the Constitution.
The law, H.B. 56, allows police and some government officials to demand proof of legal status if they have “reasonable suspicion” a person may be in the country illegally. While Alabama police will still be able to detain people they determine are undocumented immigrants, the state will no longer require officials to check the legal status of public school students or mandate that undocumented immigrants carry an “alien registration card.”
The decision came after a lawsuit was brought by the Justice Department, contending that the law pre-empted federal immigration law and could lead to racial profiling. The law was upheld by a federal judge in September, allowing it to go into effect, but the Justice Department appealed the decision to the 11th Circuit Court last week. … (more)
