State and Local
ACLU, Civil Rights Groups File Suit Against Alabama’s Immigration Law
More than just stars fell on Alabama last week when civil rights groups filed a class action lawsuit against the state’s restrictive immigration law, HB 56, charging that the law unconstitutionally interferes with federal law and will lead to racial profiling. Filed on Friday, the lawsuit makes Alabama the fifth state (joining Arizona, Utah, Indiana and Georgia) to defend itself against a costly legal challenge to Arizona-style immigration laws. Federal courts have blocked key provisions of restrictive immigration enforcement laws in every state that passed them, save South Carolina, which only recently passed a copycat law. Read More
Restrictive Immigration Law Continues to Threaten Georgia’s Farming Industry
Just days after part of Georgia’s immigration law, HB 87, went into effect, farmers in the Peach State are panicking over how they will find enough workers to harvest their crops—some of which are already starting to spoil. Although a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction enjoining two key provisions of HB 87 last month, the provision requiring employers to verify the immigration status of new hires (E-Verify) went into effect July 1. In an industry where 80% of workers are said to be undocumented—and few American citizens, legal workers or even convicted criminals are willing to step in to do the work—Georgia farmers are now speaking up about how future labor shortages will impact the state’s $1.1 billion industry. Read More
South Carolina Governor Signs $1.3 Million Immigration Enforcement Law
This week, on the same day that a federal judge enjoined key provisions of Georgia’s immigration law, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed an Arizona-style immigration bill into law. To date, federal judges in four states (Arizona, Utah, Indiana and Georgia) have blocked key provisions of their Arizona-inspired immigration laws, arguing that these laws unlawfully interfere with federal authority over immigration matters. So what makes South Carolina any different? Nothing, except for the $1.3 million price tag in addition to the cost of implementation and legal fees incurred from defending the law. Read More
Federal Courts Block Key Provisions of Restrictive Immigration Laws in Georgia and Indiana
Today, a federal judge in Georgia granted a preliminary injunction against key provisions of the state’s immigration law, HB 87, which was slated to take effect Friday. Today’s decision follows another federal court decision handed down last week in Indiana which also blocked key provisions of the state’s new immigration law, SB 590. And these restrictive immigration laws aren’t the only ones caught up in legal battles. Several restrictive immigration laws are being challenged in court with more likely to follow. This week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) requested a meeting with Alabama law enforcement officials to determine whether or not to file suit against their immigration law while civil rights groups threatened to sue South Carolina if Gov. Nikki Haley signs their restrictive bill, S 20, into law. Read More
Are States Training Law Enforcement to Implement Restrictive Immigration Laws?
Washington, D.C. – While many states legislatures rejected Arizona-style immigration laws this year in anticipation of high costs, legal challenges and charges of racial profiling, others states—like Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina—passed laws requiring law enforcement to determine the immigration status of anyone that is stopped or detained for any… Read More
Alabama Governor Signs Costly Immigration Bill, ACLU to File Suit
Yesterday, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signed a restrictive immigration bill (HB 56) into law, making Alabama the fourth state to sign “get tough” Arizona-style immigration legislation. Among the restrictive provisions, HB 56 requires local law enforcement, in some instances, to verify the immigration status of those stopped for traffic violations, public schools to determine the immigration status of students, employers to use E-Verify and makes it a crime to knowingly rent to, transport or harbor undocumented immigrants. Although Gov. Bentley touts the law as the nation’s toughest, he might also consider mounting a similarly tough legal defense as civil rights groups have declared their intention to file suit. Read More
Alabama Passes “Get Tough” Immigration Enforcement Law
Like Arizona, Utah and Georgia before it, Alabama became the fourth state to pass Arizona-style immigration enforcement legislation—legislation that in some aspects goes beyond Arizona’s immigration law. Last week, Alabama’s Republican-controlled House and Senate passed HB 56, a bill which, among other things, authorizes local police to inquire about the immigration status of anyone they “reasonably suspect” is not authorized to be in the country during a stop. Who is “reasonably suspicious?” Apparently those without driver’s licenses, those who “act nervously,” and those whose vehicle tags don’t match registration records. Read More
States that Passed Arizona-style Immigration Laws Now Face Costly, Uphill Legal Battles
Despite repeated warnings from business groups, tourism and industry boards and advocates about the hefty price tag attached to Arizona-style legislation, state lawmakers continued to push “get tough” copycat proposals. Many ultimately rejected SB1070-style legislation (26, to date) due to high costs and political backlash, while others severely watered down, altered or put on hold legislation targeting undocumented immigrants. But states that did pass anti-immigrant legislation, like Georgia and Indiana, now face costly, uphill legal battles. Read More
More States Toss Costly Immigration Legislation in Final Days of Session
As many state legislative session wrap up for the year, more lawmakers are jumping ship on controversial enforcement measures targeting undocumented immigrants. Whether they are under pressure from business groups, conflicted over the bills’ substance, or realize that these measures will cost their state millions in legal challenges, implementation expenses and tourism revenue, lawmakers are not finding the same appetite for “get tough” enforcement legislation as they did last year. Read More
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal Signs Arizona-Style Enforcement Law
Today, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed HB 87—an Arizona-style immigration law which allows police to investigate the immigration status of certain suspects and requires businesses to verify work eligibility of new hires—into law, despite the threat of economic boycotts and negative fiscal impacts. Georgia’s state legislature passed HB 87 last month amid outcries from businesses and local groups about how the law would hurt their state. Leaders from Georgia’s $68 billion agricultural industry—including the Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Agribusiness Council and the Georgia Urban Ag Council—repeatedly urged lawmakers to kill the Arizona-style enforcement measure, which they say will put them at a disadvantage to growers in other states. The Atlantic Convention and Visitors Bureau also expressed concern over HB 87’s impact on the state’s $10 billion tourism industry. Read More
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