Alabama immigration law cracks down harder than Arizona measure

Alabama lawmakers approved a comprehensive law cracking down on illegal immigrants in the state, getting even tougher than what the controversial anti-immigration measure passed by the state of Arizona required.

After the Republican-dominated Alabama legislature passed the bill on Thursday, Gov. Robert Bentley, also a Republican, will sign the bill into law shortly.

A provision which proved thorny in Arizona's version is again included in the one passed by Alabama. Both laws authorize law enforcement officials to question the immigration status of people based on "reasonable suspicion."

Arizona's anti-illegal immigration measure has been derailed by federal courts and Alabama's own piece of legislation may likely suffer the same fate amid heated debate about U.S. immigration policy.

The passing of the Alabama immigration bill drew flak from the American Civil Liberties Union which has been a stalwart opponent of similar legislation on immigration.

"The bill invites discrimination into every aspect of the lives of people in Alabama," said ACLU director of the immigrants' rights project Cecilia Wang, who described the bill as "outrageous and blatantly unconstitutional."

What made the Alabama immigration bill tougher than the one passed by Arizona are prohibitions on higher education and renting property.

According to the bill, illegal immigrants are barred from enrolling in public colleges beyond high school and encourages institutions to know the immigration status of all students. It also made it a crime to knowingly rent property or transport an illegal immigrant.

Also, all employers in Alabama must use the E-Verify federal system to check the immigration status of workers. All immigrants in the state must carry a document as proof of legal status.