Churches lose fight over Alabama immigration law
A federal judge jolted the national immigration debate by approving
most parts of Alabama's aggressive immigration law which some religious
leaders have called the "meanest" in the nation.
In a ruling
September 28 that was hailed by many state officials, U.S. District
Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn refused to block much of Alabama's
far-reaching immigration law from going into effect.
Blackburn's
decision came after three separate challenges were filed by the U.S.
Department of Justice; Catholic, Episcopal and United Methodist
bishops; and a coalition of civil rights groups, unions and individuals
who said they would be harmed by the law. The Justice Department argued
that immigration law enforcement rests with the federal government and
that states could not set up their own systems.
