Skip to main content

Eleventh Circuit Blocks More Alabama Immigration Law Provisions

By Robyn Hagan Cain on March 09, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

The Alabama immigration law, once regarded as the toughest state immigration law in America, is quickly becoming unenforceable.

After hearing oral arguments on both the Alabama and Georgia laws last week, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals enjoined two more sections of the Alabama law on Thursday, reports The Huntsville Times.

The latest appellate action on the Alabama immigration law places contract provisions banning residents and state and local governments from entering into contracts with illegal immigrants on hold while the Supreme Court and the Eleventh Circuit consider whether state and federal immigration laws can co-exist.

This is the second time the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has enjoined provisions of the state's immigration law. In October, the court blocked the state from enforcing provisions requiring public schools to confirm students' residency status and criminalizing failure to carry proof of legal residency, reports Reuters.

A requirement that police officers determine the citizenship and legal status of a stopped or arrested suspect is still in effect, reports The Washington Post.

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange was disappointed by the Eleventh Circuit's ruling, and told The Huntsville Times, "I will continue to vigorously defend Alabama's immigration law in the courts. I am hopeful that the Supreme Court's coming decision in the Arizona case will make clear that our law is constitutional."

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals announced last week that it will wait to rule on the legality of the Georgia and Alabama immigration laws until the Supreme Court renders an opinion on Arizona's immigration law in Arizona v. U.S. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Arizona v. U.S. in April, and is expected to issue an opinion in June.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard