Monday
May172010
ACLU Challenges Arizona's Controversial Immigration Law
Monday, May 17, 2010 at 1:45PM
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a coalition of other organizations committed to immigrants' rights are mounting a legal challenge to Arizona's controversial new immigration law.
"This suit is brought ... against every aspect of this law to prohibit it from ever going into effect," Lucas Guttentag, the director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, told reporters during a conference call Monday.
According to Guttentag, the Arizona law, which grants the state's law enforcement officers the authority to ask those suspected of being in the country illegally for proof of citizenship, poses a myriad of Constitutional concerns.
"The suit asserts that the Arizona law is in violation of the Supremacy clause... the Equal Protection Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Fourth Amendment, the First Amendment and other provisions," Guttentag said. "There are other claims as well, including under federal civil rights laws."
The lawsuit, filed in Phoenix's district court, is made up for 14 organizations, including the NAACP and the Service Employees International Union, as well as an additional 10 individuals.
"[The Arizona bill] has triggered outrage and opposition from virtually every segment of society and the breadth of this lawsuit is a reflection of that widespread revulsion," Guttentag explained.
The law is currently under review from the Department of Justice.
"This suit is brought ... against every aspect of this law to prohibit it from ever going into effect," Lucas Guttentag, the director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, told reporters during a conference call Monday.
According to Guttentag, the Arizona law, which grants the state's law enforcement officers the authority to ask those suspected of being in the country illegally for proof of citizenship, poses a myriad of Constitutional concerns.
"The suit asserts that the Arizona law is in violation of the Supremacy clause... the Equal Protection Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Fourth Amendment, the First Amendment and other provisions," Guttentag said. "There are other claims as well, including under federal civil rights laws."
The lawsuit, filed in Phoenix's district court, is made up for 14 organizations, including the NAACP and the Service Employees International Union, as well as an additional 10 individuals.
"[The Arizona bill] has triggered outrage and opposition from virtually every segment of society and the breadth of this lawsuit is a reflection of that widespread revulsion," Guttentag explained.
The law is currently under review from the Department of Justice.
Reader Comments (1)
Another stupid lawsuit. How about suing the Mexican cartels instead?