Civil Rights Coalition Asks Federal Court To Block Anti-Immigrant Law    

CONTACT: 

Sin Yen Ling, Asian Law Caucus, (415)848-7710, sinyenL@asianlawcaucus.org
Marion Steinfels, Southern Poverty Law Center, (334) 956-8417; marion.steinfels@splcenter.org
Vesna Jaksic, ACLU national, (212) 284-7347 or 549-2666; media@aclu.org
Olivia Turner, ACLU of Alabama, (334) 265-2754, ext. 204; oturner@aclualabama.org
Adela de la Torre, National Immigration Law Center, (213) 674-2832; delatorre@nilc.org

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and a coalition of civil rights groups asked a federal judge today to block the state's anti-immigrant law from taking effect Sept.1.

The following statements can be attributed to various members of the coalition:

Sam Brooke, lead attorney on the case for SPLC:

"We asked the court to block what is now the harshest anti-immigrant law from taking effect. Not only is Alabama's law blatantly unconstitutional, it flies in the face of American values by authorizing racial profiling, deterring children from going to school, and criminalizing those who lend a hand to individuals deemed by the state of Alabama to be 'illegal.'"

Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project:

"Today's hearing highlighted why Alabama's law must be stopped in its tracks. The law makes it impossible for immigrant families to go to school, to make a living, to take care of routine business, and even to drive on a public road without fear of being punished under state law. This discriminatory law aims at undocumented immigrants, but catches lawful immigrants and U.S. citizens in the crossfire."

Linton Joaquin, general counsel, NILC:

"Federal courts across the country have rightly stemmed the tide of unconstitutional state attempts to deny countless people of color and those who associate with them their fundamental rights. We are confident that the courts in Alabama will agree that a law that usurps exclusive federal authority and threatens the freedom of Alabamians should not be allowed to go into effect."

Sin Yen Ling, senior staff attorney, Asian Law Caucus, a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice:

"HB 56 is intended to expel immigrants and must be struck down as unconstitutional."

Foster Maer of Latino Justice/Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund:

"Tens of thousands of Latinos in Alabama now await the judge's decision, fearful that they will have to flee Alabama if the new law goes into effect," declared Juan Cartagena, President of Latino Justice PRLDEF.  "But we are confident that the judge understands that the federal law's mandate is clear, that Alabama cannot build its own immigration system, especially one based on racial divisiveness and one that is designed to harass Latinos and other immigrants so as to drive them out of the State. We will not let that happen."

The coalition also includes the National Immigration Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, Asian Law Caucus, Asian American Justice Center and Latino Justice.  The U.S. Department of Justice and a group of Alabama church groups also filed lawsuits against the state.

Alabama's law chills children's access to public schools by requiring school officials to verify the immigration status of children and their parents; authorizes police to demand "papers" demonstrating citizenship or immigration status during traffic stops; and criminalizes Alabamians for ordinary, everyday interactions with undocumented individuals.  

The law is even more restrictive than Arizona's draconian SB 1070, the anti-immigrant law that served as the inspiration for "papers please" measures in five other states. Federal courts have blocked similar provisions in Arizona, Utah, Indiana and Georgia. The coalition has also vowed to challenge South Carolina's anti-immigrant law.

Attorneys on the case include Mary Bauer, Sam Brooke, Andrew Turner, Michelle Lapointe, Dan Werner, and Naomi Tsu of the Southern Poverty Law Center; Cecillia D. Wang, Katherine Desormeau, Kenneth J. Sugarman, Andre Segura, Elora Mukherjee, Omar C. Jadwat, Lee Gelernt, Michael K. T. Tan of the American Civil Liberties Union and Freddy Rubio of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama; Joaquin, Karen C. Tumlin, Tanya Broder, Shiu-Ming Cheer, Melissa S. Keaney, and Vivek Mittal of the National Immigration Law Center; Sin Yen Ling of the Asian Law Caucus; Erin E. Oshiro of the Asian American Justice Center; Foster Maer, Ghita Schwarz and Diana Sen of Latino Justice; G. Brian Spears, Ben Bruner, Herman Watson, Jr., Eric J. Artrip and Rebekah Keith McKinney.

The motion for preliminary injunction can be found at: http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/case-docket/hica-splc-aclu-et-al-v-robert-bentley-luther-strange-et-al.

 

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About The Asian Law Caucus:

The Asian Law Caucus was founded in 1972 as the nation's first legal and civil rights Asian American organization.   Recognizing that social, economic, political and racial inequalities continue to exist in the United States, ALC is committed to the pursuit of equality and justice for all sectors of our society, with a specific focus directed toward addressing the needs of low-income, immigrant and underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Asian Law Caucus is a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. Visit: http://asianlawcaucus.org