Civil Rights News: Alabama’s HB56 Partially Blocked, Thousands Recreate Selma-Montgomery March, Defending Health Care Reform

Compiled by Victoria Samuels, a Spring 2012 intern at The Leadership Conference Education Fund

Court Blocks Parts of Law on Migrants in Alabama
John Schwartz

On Thursday the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit issued an order that prohibits sections of a 2011 law that restricted commercial and government transactions for undocumented immigrants in Alabama. The two provisions that are pending action by the Supreme Court were blocked by the court. This law has been challenged by many civil rights organizations. Opponents believe that this law is unconstitutional, and essentially encourages racial profiling; while proponents argue that the law is a necessary response to the federal government’s alleged failure to secure the nation’s borders.

Selma-Montgomery March, Immigration Law Drawing Young People, First-Time Protesters
Andy Brownfield

On Thursday about 1,000 protesters marched from Selma to Montgomery in a recreation of the 1956 Selma to Montgomery march that led to the Voting Rights Act. Many of the protesters were young people who were alarmed by Alabama’s extreme anti-immigration and voter ID laws. The march ended on March 9 with a rally in front of the Alabama state capitol.

White House Works to Shape Debate Over Health Law
Robert Pear

In efforts to shape public opinion, the White House has begun a campaign to build support of the new health care law. Many leaders of nonprofit organizations that support the law were summoned on Wednesday to help coordinate press conferences, events, and a prayer vigil.  The leaders mapped out a plan to raise awareness of the benefits of the bill.