Anti-Immigrant Laws Being Considered By State Legislators Unconstitutional And Un-American, Says ACLU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

NEW YORK – According to an article in The New York Times today, several state legislators around the country are considering proposing anti-immigrant legislation in the coming session. In some states, the legislation would be similar to the recent Arizona racial profiling law, even though the worst provisions of that law have been suspended by a federal court. In other states, the legislation would undermine the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The American Civil Liberties Union, which brought a lawsuit challenging Arizona’s racial profiling law, called on state legislators to reject the bills when they are introduced.

The following can be attributed to Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

“Laws like Arizona’s that cause racial profiling or deny other basic rights are unconstitutional, unfair and quintessentially un-American. The courts were correct to reject Arizona’s draconian legislation, and other states should think twice before attempting to pass similar laws that have no place in an America that believes in fairness, equality and human rights. The ACLU will fight these misguided attempts across the country to upend our most fundamental American values.”