Alabama's Tough New Immigration Law Can Withstand Legal Challenges, Experts Say

Fox News ^ | June 11, 2011

[jazusamo]

Alabama's new law cracking down on illegal immigrants will likely survive legal challenges from advocacy groups that say it is unconstitutional and racist, analysts told Fox News.

The law, which takes effect Sept. 1, empowers police to arrest people suspected of being an illegal immigrant if they are stopped for another reason and requires businesses and schools to verify whether workers and students are in the country lawfully. It also makes it a crime to knowingly transport or shelter illegal immigrants.

As soon as Republican Gov. Robert Bentley signed the bill into law Thursday, the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center were vowing to defeat it in court.

"It is clearly unconstitutional. It's mean-spirited, racist, and we think a court will enjoin it," said Mary Bauer, legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center.

"By signing this bill into law, Gov. Bentley has codified official discrimination in the state of Alabama," said Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project. "We will take action to keep this law from going into effect to ensure that the civil rights and liberties of all Alabamans are protected."

Legal experts told Fox News that they expect the case to head to the Supreme Court where they believe the state will prevail.

"I think the states have the right to do this," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice. "I think it will be successful."

[jazusamo]

Thanks for linking that.

Obama and Napolitano have many problems and though Nappy says she agrees with E-verify I really doubt that she does.

SCOTUS has ruled already so this could get interesting.

[B4Ranch]

>>But I am pointing out the absurdity that the POLICE are forbidden to apprehend and deport illegal aliens, even if they “know or suspect it,” but CITIZENS will be prosecuted if they do not act on what they “know or suspect.” Do you think this is rational?<<

Rational? Hell yes. Illegals do not hire other illegals. Americans do. When they stop hiring illegals there won’t be any jobs open for the illegal so they will self deport.

[jazusamo]

Southern Poverty Law Center is a racist organization...

Absolutely! It's worse than the ACLU if that's possible. They'll jump on anything having to do with race, legitimate or not and most is not.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Scoop Jackson was conservative on national defense (Boeing was his home state’s biggest employer), but he was pretty liberal on everything else.

[AmericanInTokyo]

On to the next state. Make them chase us. State by state. Across the land. Burn their corrupt program of illegal immigration up from the "ground up" till in engulfs D.C. (figuratively speaking here).

I am talking a political grassfire that has been set and has immense potential for spreading and overwhelming them, routing them, forcing them into total retreat.

[Carry_Okie]

That’s where I’m for nationalism and regulation. Regulate the amount of people coming in, where they come from and review the character of their culture. Young, educated/hardworking and from countries that actually have character and direction. All others will be mildly invited, so we don’t dent the character of America by inviting more idiots.

Egads! The whole country would look like Switzerland! The horror!!!

[Carry_Okie]

I am talking a political grassfire that has been set and has immense potential for spreading and overwhelming them, routing them, forcing them into total retreat.

Better sooner than later, before GunWalker gives the Bamster his "civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as well funded."

[jazusamo]

That sounds like a terrific plan to me.

If enough states that are most affected do it the ones that that are left will be so overwhelmed they’ll have to get on board.

Cut off employment, welfare of any kind, drivers licenses, etc. and the illegals will go home on their own or will not dare show their faces.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Nappy says she agrees with E-verify

Translation: She will use it as a political prop, while minimizing any DHS actions that might really do some good, and trying to slap down any effort by the states to do anything at all about the problem.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks jazusamo.

[RetiredArmy]

Yada, yada, yada. Accusing Alabama of being George Wallace & racist again. Bring back the old tired 1950s and 1960s crap. The same old tired liberal crap. Boston had as much trouble with school busing as any state in the country, yet Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, we are all like Stalinist Soviet Russia. Sure. To hell with these liberals. We simply say BE LEGAL. Come here LEGALLY. Get your green card LEGALLY and we welcome anyone. I am sick and tired of the crap. Just Saturday I saw two policemen in a traffic stop. They had hand cuffs on three Mexican looking young males. Now, wonder what that was for? Oh, right, they were just peaceful, kind, young men, out for a nice ride on a Saturday afternoon, minding their on business until the racists cops pulled them over. Right.