http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/07/ala ... incart_mce

Update: Top Alabama lawmaker says new immigration law will withstand court challenge

Published: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 12:39 PM Updated: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 1:56 PM

Kent Faulk -- The Birmingham News By Kent Faulk -- The Birmingham News

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Mike Hubbard, the speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, said this morning that the state's new immigration law will stand up to a court challenge.

Hubbard made the statement after the Southern Poverty Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union and other groups asked a judge to block implementation of the law while the lawsuit they filed goes forward.

"Make no mistake, this lawsuit will not undo Alabama's immigration law. If the court finds problems with parts of the law, tweaks can be made," Hubbard said in a statement issued after today's motion was filed. "But Alabama is not going to be a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants. Alabama will have a strict immigration law and we will enforce it."
Hubbard and other lawmakers have said the court might overturn parts of the law, but that's why the law was written so if parts of it were found to have problems, it wouldn't affect the other parts.

Alabama State Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh also issued a statement today on the motion.

"While the federal government has looked the other way on this issue, Alabama's illegal immigrant population has exploded nearly 400 percent over the last decade," Marsh said. "With almost one out of every 10 Alabamians looking for a job, we need to make sure that legal Alabama residents are not being passed over for employment in lieu of those who are here illegally. We urge the court to uphold this law."[/b]