The Birmingham News: The U.S. Justice Department is in Alabama investigating whether the state's immigration law is leading to civil rights violations, a top agency official said this morning.
"We have boots on the ground right now investigating these allegations," said Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez.
Perez was speaking to a group at the Center for American Progress when he commented on the Alabama law, which in part requires local law enforcement to detain those who cannot prove they are in the country legally. Perez is head of the Justice Department division that enforces civil rights laws in areas like voting, education, employment and housing.
"For instance, in the education setting, we are hearing very troubling reports of children who are not going to school or are walking an hour each way to school because their parents are afraid to drive them because they're concerned they will be pulled over because of what they look like," Perez said. "We're hearing troubling reports of bullying in schools. And troubling reports of victims of domestic violence going to court to seek restraining orders only to be told, 'I'll grant the restraining order and then I'm going to inquire about your status and if you're undocumented, you will be detained.' To state the obvious, that is a bit of a deterrent."
The Justice Department has sued to stop Alabama's immigration law, arguing it interferes with the federal government's role in setting federal immigration policy.
"We have boots on the ground right now investigating these allegations," said Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez.
Perez was speaking to a group at the Center for American Progress when he commented on the Alabama law, which in part requires local law enforcement to detain those who cannot prove they are in the country legally. Perez is head of the Justice Department division that enforces civil rights laws in areas like voting, education, employment and housing.
"For instance, in the education setting, we are hearing very troubling reports of children who are not going to school or are walking an hour each way to school because their parents are afraid to drive them because they're concerned they will be pulled over because of what they look like," Perez said. "We're hearing troubling reports of bullying in schools. And troubling reports of victims of domestic violence going to court to seek restraining orders only to be told, 'I'll grant the restraining order and then I'm going to inquire about your status and if you're undocumented, you will be detained.' To state the obvious, that is a bit of a deterrent."
The Justice Department has sued to stop Alabama's immigration law, arguing it interferes with the federal government's role in setting federal immigration policy.
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