Conservatives Stage Rally for Immigration Law

Associated Press (Alabama): Tea party members rallied n support of Alabama's new law against illegal immigration Tuesday, bidding to send a message to a federal judge who is considering legal challenges by opponents who contend the measure is unconstitutional.

About 120 people turned out in a park in suburban Birmingham on a rainy evening for a demonstration in favor of the law, which both supporters and critics describe as the nation's toughest on immigration. Among other things, it would make it illegal for anyone to hire an illegal immigrant or knowingly help one remain in the state.

Church-based groups and pro-immigrant groups have staged larger rallies and marches against the law. A key sponsor of the bill, Sen. Scott Beason, said the tea party event was the first he knew of supporting the law, which is temporarily on hold as U.S. District Judge Sharon Blackburn considers opponents' challenges.

Tea party leader Zan Green said she and other organizers timed the rally to coincide the Blackburn's review of the law. The judge has said she would rule by Sept. 28 on the constitutionality of the law, which the Obama administration opposes as an overreach by the state into an area of federal authority.

"We were trying to do this while the judge is deliberating to let her know there are Alabamians who support this law," said Green, president of the Rainy Day Patriots.

Rally participant Marcelo Munoz said Alabama needs the law because the federal government is doing a poor job of enforcing immigration laws. Describing himself as a legal immigrant from Chile, Munoz said backers of the law aren't simply against Hispanics, whose numbers in Alabama more than doubled to about 185,000 in the last decade, according to Census figures.

"We're coming out here to show we're not racist. It's not about targeting a particular group. It's about enforcing the law," said Munoz. "There's a lot of common sense stuff in the law."

Besides clamping down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants, the law requires schools to find out if students are in the country legally. Police also could arrest anyone during traffic stops on suspicion of immigration violations.

Beason, R-Gardendale, described the legislation as a jobs bill meant to insure that legal residents get jobs in Alabama.

"This is about putting Alabamians back to work," said Beason, who received a standing ovation.