By Peggy Gargis BIRMINGHAM, Ala | Wed Oct 5, 2011 7:24pm EDT
(Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday again refused to halt Alabama's tough new anti-illegal immigration law, leaving in place for now measures that are prompting some Hispanics to flee the state. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn on September 28 backed the law authorizing police to detain people suspected of being in the country illegally if they cannot produce proper documentation when stopped for any reason. The judge also upheld a provision that permits the state to require public schools to determine the legal residency of children. Blackburn said in a ruling on Wednesday that the law's challengers, including President Barack Obama's administration and civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups, had not shown they were likely to prevail in their efforts to get the law struck down. She also found the public interest would not be harmed by letting the measure stand while the groups appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. "Alabama has an interest in enforcing laws properly enacted by its Legislature and not likely to be found unconstitutional," the judge wrote. "Moreover, the public has an interest in having properly enacted valid laws enforced." The Alabama law passed both chambers of the Republican-led legislature by large margins earlier this year, with lawmakers saying Obama administration had not done enough to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the country. Blackburn also allowed Alabama to bar illegal immigrants from commercial contracts with state or local governments, applying for or renewing drivers' licenses and identification cards or seeking license plates. The judge temporarily prevented the state from making it a crime to knowingly transport or harbor an illegal immigrant or prohibit illegal immigrants from attending its public colleges. -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
