Alabama Immigration Law HB56 Enjoined by Federal Judge

UPDATE HERE

In a very brief Order issued late today, Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn, Chief Judge of the Norther District of Alabama, enjoined the enforcement of HB56:

 

Act 2011-535 [H.B. 56] is TEMPORARILY ENJOINED, and may not be executed or enforced. In entering this order the court specifically notes that it is in no way addressing the merits of the motions. The court will issue detailed Memorandum Opinions and Orders ruling on the merits of the pending Motions for Preliminary Injunction no later than September 28, 2011. This temporary injunction shall remain in effect until September 29, 2011, or until the court enters its rulings, whichever comes first.

The Order comes in the consolidated cases of Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama v. Bentley; Parsley v. Bentley, and United States v. Bentley.   We've previously discussed each of these three lawsuits have been brought against the controversial HB 56. 

The Hispanic Interest Coalition case began with a 118 page complaint filed early in July raises eight constitutional claims including claims under the Supremacy Clause (arguing that the state law is pre-empted); Fourth Amendment; Equal Protection Clause; Due Process Clause;  First Amendment claims including speech, assembly, and petition clauses, the Contracts Clause, and two Sixth Amendment claims. 

Parlsey v. Bentley is the clergy complaint centering on the First Amendment Free Exercise Clause. 

United States v. Bentley marks the DOJ's entry into the controversy, raising Supremacy Clause arguments as might be expected.

The law was scheduled to go into effect September 1. 

RR
[image: Map of Alabama, circa 1832, via]