Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Settlement would block implementation of controversial parts of Alabama immigration law, fees for civil rightsattorneys
CNN reports that some of the most controversial parts of Alabama's immigration law could soon be off the table for good under a settlement filed in federal court yesterday. Alabama officials agreed to block the enforcement of portions of the law, passed in 2011 that was described as one of the nation's toughest state immigration enforcement measures.
The proposed deal blocks several parts of the law, including a requirement for public schools to collect information on the immigration status of students; a provision that criminalized the solicitation of work by undocumented immigrants; and a section that prohibited giving a ride to undocumented immigrants.
The state also agreed to pay $350,000 in attorney fees and expenses to the civil rights groups that challenged the Alabama law.
Here is the propsoed settlement sgreement. Download Settlement The National Immigration Law Center, one of the organizations representing the plaintiffs, issued this press release about the settlement.
Given the poor track record in defending state immigration enforcement law's like Arizona's, Alabama's, and South Carolina's, as well as local versions such as Hazleton, Pennsylvania's and Farmer's Branch, Texas, it would seem that political leaders should be wary of enacting such laws, which can bring bad publicity, result in large attorney fee awards (and payment of fees in defending the laws), and losing on the merits.
For the AP report on the settlement, click here.
KJ
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2013/10/settlement-would-block-controversial-parts-of-alabama-immigration-law.html
