Agreement to block parts of Alabama immigration law

Agreement to block parts of Alabama immigration law

by Suzanne Gamboa
8:46 pm on 10/29/2013

Civil rights groups said Tuesday they have an agreement to permanently block parts of a tough Alabama immigration law.

The agreement, not yet approved by a court, significantly limits racial profiling provisions in the 2011 law and those requiring people to prove citizenship or immigration status, according to the groups.

The National Immigration Law Center said in a statement, a similar agreement is being entered in a challenge brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and one by church leaders.

The agreement in a class-action lawsuit would permanently block parts of the Alabama law that already had been temporarily blocked, said Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project.

Wang said the agreement, when it is signed by the judge, should make “crystal clear” to Alabama law enforcement “they cannot detain people because they suspect they are undocumented immigrants.”

She said civil rights groups will be monitoring closely compliance with those parts of the agreement.

“Supporters of attempts to nationalize racial profiling policies such as Alabama’s HB 56 should be warned: We will fight these efforts at the Capitol, and if necessary, in the courtroom,” Linton Joaquin, general counsel of the National Immigration Law Center said in a statement.

In addition to NILC and the ACLU, the class action suit was filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and other civil rights groups.


http://nbclatino.com/2013/10/29/agre...migration-law/