SPLC, Civil Rights Groups File Emergency Request to Block Key Provisions of Alabama Anti-Immigrant Law
The Southern Poverty Law Center and the coalition of civil rights groups challenging Alabama’s extreme anti-immigrant law today filed a notice of appeal and an emergency request asking the U.S. district court to temporarily block several provisions not previously enjoined by the court’s orders of September 28, while the decision is appealed.
The Southern Poverty Law Center and the coalition of civil rights groups challenging Alabama’s extreme anti-immigrant law today filed a notice of appeal and an emergency request asking the U.S. district court to temporarily block several provisions not previously enjoined by the court’s orders of September 28, while the decision is appealed.
The coalition sought the temporary relief to prevent enforcement of these provisions pending their emergency appeal to the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
If allowed to go into effect, the provisions the coalition asked the court to block in its emergency request would:
- Chill children’s access to schools by requiring school officials to verify the immigration status of children and their parents;
- Require all immigrants to carry their “papers” and present them upon request;
- Authorize police to demand “papers” showing immigration or citizenship status during routine traffic stops;
- Prohibit undocumented immigrants from entering into business transactions in the state, which could prevent them from receiving public utilities such as water and sewage services;
- Prohibit the enforcement of contracts if any participant is undocumented, so that child support, rental, loan and other agreements would become unenforceable.
Provisions that would have criminalized the solicitation of work and the transportation of undocumented friends and family were blocked by yesterday’s order.
