Both those who support and those who oppose Alabama’s immigration law found something to cheer about and something to criticize in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision about Arizona’s immigration law—much of which is mirrored in Alabama’s newer but tougher law.
The Supreme Court said police could continue to check on the immigration status of offenders stopped for investigation of other crimes, but some other provisions were struck down.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley praised the ruling. He is quoted in the Birmingham News saying, “The core of Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law remains, ” and he says he’s pleased about court recognition of “the important role of states in enforcing immigration laws.”
Mary Bauer, legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, saw victory in the ruling for those opposed to Alabama’s law. “I think the great majority of Alabama’s law is just doomed, ” she told the News. “It cannot stand in the wake of this decision.”
Both sides predict further litigation to iron out disputes about the status of the law.
By Nedra Bloom
