Who is Alabama really trying to keep out?

It appears that illegal immigrants are causing an economic hardship in Alabama. Who would have thought that would be the cause of the 'economic hardship' in the state? I am not sure about the validity of this argument, but Republican controlled state houses and senates are passing laws like this all across the country. I can only imagine how many lawsuits will be filed to stop this law which goes into effect in September.

On Thursday, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed what both critics and backers agree is the toughest immigration law in the country.

Despite the relative lack of national media attention, the Alabama law includes more harsh measures than even Arizona's notorious SB 1070, which immediately faced legal challenges after passing last year. Like the Arizona law, Alabama's measure requires local police to check the immigration status of people who they believe may be in the country illegally.

But it goes much further, establishing new requirements for checking the immigration status of students and potential tenants. It is scheduled to go into effect in September -- but not before a promised legal challenge by civil rights groups.

Bentley (whom we last encountered apologizing for comments about Jesus) signed the legislation after it passed both houses of the state's Republican-controlled Legislature by a wide margin.

To learn more about the measure and the planned lawsuit against it, I spoke to Sam Brooke, staff attorney at the Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Project.

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