Opinion: Immigration: Alabama’s new state law has unintended consequences

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Alabama’s controversial immigration law will undoubtedly be decided by the courts. A federal judge and appeals court have already weighed in, blocking parts of the law, including provisions that would allow school officials to ask students about their immigration status.

Whether the law is ultimately found to be unconstitutional has yet to be determined. A trial is pending.

In the meantime, at least one state court has already been forced to wrestle with one part of the new law. This week, a judge in Jefferson County Alabama has cast doubt on the constitutionality of the state law.

The case involved two immigrants who sued a used car dealer alleging the seller failed to disclose the real condition of the cars -- salvage vehicles. The dealer asked the judge to throw out the lawsuit, arguing that the men are undocumented immigrants and under a new Alabama law any contract with those illegally in the country is prohibited from being enforced.

The judge refused to dismiss the case because the new Alabama law is at odds with the state constitution drafted in 1901. It bans state lawmakers from enacting laws that interfere with existing agreements.

It seems the Alabama law is already having all kinds of unintentional consequences.

What do you think?

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--Sandra Hernandez
PHOTO: A town hall meeting at Glen Iris Elementary School in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 13 focused on HB 56. Alabama’s legislature has made children the chief victims of the nation’s harshest anti-immigrant law. Credit: Tamika Moore / The Birmingham News / AP Photo