Atlanta, GA – When a federal appeals court hears arguments in the legal challenges against tough new laws targeting illegal immigration in Alabama and Georgia, people outside of those two states will be paying attention.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday on challenges to the Georgia and Alabama laws filed by civil liberties and immigrant rights groups and a challenge to Alabama's law filed by the federal government.
In the case pitting Alabama against the federal government, the attorneys general of nine other states have filed an amicus brief supporting the state of Alabama, saying they want to ensure that state sovereignty is respected.
A number of foreign governments have filed amicus briefs opposing both Georgia and Alabama's laws, saying they're harmful to diplomatic relations.
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