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Subscribe to RSSATLANTA – A federal appeals court Thursday temporarily blocked Alabama from enforcing two more parts of its tough new immigration law.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order temporarily halting a section that says courts can't enforce contracts involving illegal immigrants and another that makes it a felony for an illegal immigrant to do business with the state.
The order, expanding on an October prohibition blocking a requirement that schools check students’ immigration status, is in effect pending the outcome of lawsuits that seek to overturn entirely the law that went into effect last September.
Lawyers in the Alabama case had asked the court to at least temporarily stop the two sections and others, claiming they were causing harm to people in the state.
The law adopted last year was challenged by both the federal government and a coalition of activist groups. A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit heard arguments last week but said it won't rule on the overall case until the U.S. Supreme Court decides a federal challenge to a similar law in Arizona. The appeals court is also weighing Georgia's law.
"We are very pleased that the Eleventh Circuit understood the harms these provisions were causing in Alabama, and saw fit to enjoin them," said the Southern Poverty Law Center's Sam Brooke, who argued before the panel last week.
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said he strongly disagrees with the court's decision.
"I will continue to vigorously defend Alabama's immigration law in the courts," he said. "I am hopeful that the Supreme Court's coming decision in the Arizona case will make clear that our law is constitutional."
Republican state Sen. Scott Beason, a co-sponsor of last year’s law, said the Alabama law would survive, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.
“The Arizona law will be successful, the Alabama law will come after that and be successful, and it will give a road map to other states in the nation to see what they can do.”
Sections still in effect include one that requires a law enforcement officer to determine the citizenship and legal status of a person stopped or arrested if the officer has a "reasonable suspicion" that he person is in the country illegally.
After Arizona adopted its tough law in 2010, five other states — Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah — adopted variations on it last year, with Alabama's widely considered the toughest in the nation.
This article includes reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press.
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I say that all the judges and people that want to mollycoddle these illegals open up their wallets and pay for them..What the heck is wrong with you people?? These people need to go back to their home countries!!! Are these liberals all nuts?? They should pay for all the illegals benefits..
The fed is wrong here. Since when should states be forced to give benefits such as education to citizens of other nations. This is unconstitutional. Our government has let us down.
Close the border to Mexico now.
Deport all illegal aliens now.
Ban all illegal aliens from ever becoming a U.S. citizen.
Jealously protect our border to Mexico now.
End all government benefits and programs for illegal aliens now, we can't afford it.
Allow the border patrol to return fire when under attack, even from across the border. Use our military to back them up, and to pursue into Mexico whenever we are under attack.
Execute those smuggling drugs into the United States.
Make English the official language of the United States.
Detain illegal aliens who return illegally offshore on islands separated by gender for no less than 5 years, no visitation, no communication, no medical or dental unless life threatening illness should occur.
Good start now we just need the other 44 to do the same and we can start getting back on track with putting Americans first.
This current administration as well and the libs in congress have made it very clear that they will pander to the illegals instead of the citizens of this country, with the highest unemployment rates since the great depression and 11 million illegals taking jobs from those who have a legal right to those jobs it is time for Americans to get out and vote. In the next election only vote for those candidates who will put America and Americans first at all levels of government Local State and most definitely FEDERAL level, lets make Obama a one hit wonder.
OneBigAzzMistakeAmerica
Every state that has adopted a sanctuary stance is broke! The country is in massive debt. Too many Americans are out of work, underemployed, or have just given up hope of finding meaningful employment. Yet our current administration feels the needs of illegal aliens trump those of our citizens. Eisenhower said "there's no reason for any citizen to have to compete with illegal aliens for work, in their own country, in these hard economic times". This administration spends our tax dollars to defend the rights of illegal aliens to lower our wages, dilute our children's educational systems by mandating bilingual books, and teachers. One state even wants to give illegal aliens the right to vote in local elections! As far as those in elected office are concerned, everything is just fine and dandy for them, so everything must be alright! If this is permitted to continue we might as well delete the "United" part of the United States of America, as we will become a nation of tribes (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, ring any bells?) as we were before this country was founded, and become easy pickings for any country with their act together! This administration has done everything it can to destroy what made our country the greatest on earth, the unification of people under one flag, with one language working together for the betterment of all who wish to become law abiding American citizens!
What is it about "illegal" that our stupid court system doesn't understand? The courts are allowing the illegal communities to turn this wonderful country of ours into the pieces of garbage they are all trying to escape from. It's very close to that right now. There was a segment on one of the Spanish language TV stations the other day talking about the millions of jobs that could be created in construction where the majority of Hispanics rule, creating even more jobs for the illegals. Well, what about all of the LEGAL U.S. citizens who are out of jobs? Strict sanctions need to be placed against any business that hires illegals. And immigration reform which would include legalizing all 12 million isn't going to solve anything. All those illegals working in the fields or in low paying jobs, once legalized, are NOT going to return to those jobs, they are going to look for better paying jobs somewhere else and even more illegals are going to come here. It's a never ending battle. I'm sick and tired of hearing about all the "anti-immigration" laws. They are not "anti-immigration", they are "anti-ILLEGAL-immigration" laws. Big difference. It's time to stop this madness. Most of our law-makers aren't even aware of all the abuse going on that is costing our country dearly. And if they are aware and still doing nothing, then someone is filling their pockets.
How can you complain about their status in terms of "illegality" and then support a law that doesn't comply with our Constitution? Take out all of the other talking points, rhetoric, and lies surrounding illegal immigrants, and simply look at your own standpoints.
If "illegal" is the big issue with you, then practice what you preach. To legally deport one undocumented worker costs $12,500. Multiply that by 11 million, and you've got the approximate equivalent of two years of HLS's budget. And of course, you would never consider deporting them illegally or violating due process, since the law seems to be something you value so much, right? Afterall, the Constitution doesn't just apply to citizen's it applies to persons. That's why tourists who get in trouble while here don't get thrown in the clink without a trial and all that. So how do you propose we pay for it?
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2008-04-10-immigrantstaxes_N.htm
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/illegal-immigrants-paying-taxes-621300.html
http://www.4nannytaxes.com/faq/NannyTaxIllegalImmigrant.cfm
http://www.aclu.org/immigrants-rights/immigration-myths-and-facts
http://www.energyofanation.org/sites/25e1f498-741c-478a-8a08-aa486d8533a5/uploads/undocumented_immigrants_3.pdf
http://www.illegalimmigrationstatistics.org/illegal-immigration-pros-tax-paying-illegal-workers-contribute-to-the-economy/
Continuing...
And, since we're all so concerned with the law and immigration, we know that 1996 Welfare Reform disqualified illegal immigrants from means tested assistance, right? And that immigrated here legally takes about eight years and is limited to those who have the means to navigate the beaurocracy and are already established professionals, right?
And knowing what a huge deal money is, I'm sure we've all studied up on this and know that the SSN numbers used by illegal immigrants have been ruled by SCOTUS to not constitute identity theft per se, and that the IRS assigns ITIN numbers to collect pay roll taxes from everyone regardless of immigration status, right? And that, the money collected from those ITIN numbers doesn't get claimed, ergo it is used on citizens, right? Oh yes, and that 8 out of 11 million undocumented workers file personal income taxes, right?
And, can any of you please explain to me, why this outrage isn't directed at EVERYONE who cheats on their taxes each year? Why not go after them with such veracity?
Bull you can get a one way ticket out of here for one tenth of that and if you do bulk it could be even less. Another thing they are ILLEGAL ALIENS this whole "undocumented" title makes me sick, call them what they are.
The savings to our economy and state budgets would more than cover the deportation cost over and over.
Robob,
But then you'd be ILLEGAL too, seeing as you wouldn't be following the law in terms of due process. So please, explain why you can illegally deport them and illegally trample rights, but they can't illegaly immigrate?
Afterall, what's worse, disregarding due process, one of our most basic, important legal tenents, or running accross a border in order to find greater opportunity?
This is a straw-man argument at it's worst, we have a system in place for legal immigration, heck some of my family has even used it quit successfully to immigrate to the US some in the last 5 years.
The simple fact is they are here Illegally, as such we have a LEGAL right to deport them period.
It did stop them from getting them though.
Here in Washington it is not uncommon for illegals to use multiple stolen SSN to gain benefits. Employees at the local DSHS were told by their supervisors to make up a SSN for illegals that come in for services, these same illegals came back on different days and worked with different employees, even after it was revealed that several of them had as many as 4 claims going at once the supervisors refused to put a stop to it. I see it everyday around here, just recently I watched one lady run 3 different EBT cards for a big order at the store, then her "husband" pulled a huge roll of bills to pay for the other items not covered. My friend that works for DSHS tells me not one of the illegals that come in claim to be married or have a job and have multiple kids, they get everything, then multiply that by claiming it a few different times and it really adds up.
Nothing you try and twist is going to change the fact that they have no legal right to be here, take jobs, welfare and free education. We a have one of the highest unemployment rates since the great depression and 11 million illegals taking jobs from those who have a legal right to those jobs, simple math remove the 11 million illegals and now you have 11 million jobs for legal residents.
America get out and send a LOUD AND CLEAR message to Washington, if you don't put Amercia first you will be voted out of office period.
One
Big
Azz
Mistake
America
We have a legal right to deport them legally, which means spending $12,500/undocumented worker.
Do you have empirical evidence and non-partisan sources, or just personal stories?
Where is your outrage for the middle class folks who cheat on their taxes? They too are stealing from you.
And any welfare they receive is countered by this...
And knowing what a huge deal money is, I'm sure we've all studied up on this and know that the SSN numbers used by illegal immigrants have been ruled by SCOTUS to not constitute identity theft per se, and that the IRS assigns ITIN numbers to collect pay roll taxes from everyone regardless of immigration status, right? And that, the money collected from those ITIN numbers doesn't get claimed, ergo it is used on citizens, right? Oh yes, and that 8 out of 11 million undocumented workers file personal income taxes, right? That means they're paying into the system just as much as you or I.
And it's limited only to the number of legal children who they have.
Sarah, you haven't thought this through have you? For every illegal alien that files, or has deductions taken out of their paycheck, there's an American Citizen, or Legal Immigrant collecting unemployment, food stamps et. etc.
Your point about the number of legal children they have also points out the way illegal aliens are playing us for fools.
And that's only one state! There's more info out there for anyone who thinks they should know the facts before they support illegal aliens rights over those of their fellow citizens. Or are you going to tell us the parents of these "instant citizens" do not start collecting tax based social services (food stamps, etc.) their child is entitled to, and just go back across the border to their real home? There are many reasons for our immigration laws, and not one of them has anything to do with race! They are meant to protect our way of life by assuring we can provide a certain standard of living for our citizens and legal immigrants by not overburdening the tax based services (public education, health, fire/police, water, sewage, roads, etc.). Every state that has adopted a "sanctuary" status is broke, and the ones that are smart enough not to aren't doing that well either! But people like you who would rather let your own children starve while feeding a strangers children so you can look like a "nice person" have always baffled me!
I ask what is it about Unconstitutional that these law makers don't understand? You can be all for this stuipd laws 6 ways to sunday but they alone with any other law has to be Constitutional.
If the courts let bad laws stand just becaue some people like them what happens to the system of checks and balances that made this country great. The Jim Crow laws of the south were wildly popular. By the standard people want to use now those laws never should have been over turned. Take away the anger and idiots wrapping themselves in the flag ( I fly my from a flag pole and respect it) and let the laws be judged on the merts like any other law and let justice take its course.
Constitutional rights are for United States citizens.
They are not entitled to our rights.
Arrest them, beat them down,seize their assets, and deport their Mexican ass.
Hell, execute them if you want.
internet tough guy are you mr sonar? i've read your posts before . judging by all your posts, you sir are a coward and a bigot.