MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
The Supreme Court's ruling Monday that struck down key provisions of Arizona's immigration law is being met with positive reaction by the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that has opposed that legislation and other, similarly written laws including Alabama's HB56.
Calling the decision a "major blow to anti-immigrant laws" the SPLC Monday afternoon said it was pleased with the decision.
"The court's decision affirms that much of these laws are unconstitutional because they are preempted by federal law and that they have significant concerns about the one provision they allowed to stand," said Mary Bauer, legal director for the SPLC.
The Supreme Court struck down Arizona's abilities to require immigrants to carry immigration registration papers, to make it a state criminal offense for illegal immigrants to seek work, and to allow police to arrest suspected illegal immigrants without warrants.
The Court upheld the state's provision that allows police, while enforcing other laws, to question a person's immigration status if there is reasonable suspicion they're in the country illegally.
Bauer says the only provision to be upheld would encourage racial profiling by law enforcement. "The one thing that is clear from today's ruling is that the fight against these hateful anti-immigrant laws are far from over," Bauer added.
Both the SPLC and Republican leaders of Alabama, who based much of the state's strict illegal immigration law off Arizona's law, are proclaiming victories in this case.
CLICK HERE to read reaction from Alabama legislative leaders.
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