Alabama Clergy Sue Claiming Immigration Law Infringes Churches' Free Exercise Rights

WSFA reports that a federal lawsuit challenging Alabama's new immigration law was filed yesterday by leaders of the Episcopal, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in the state.  The suit claims that the law (full text) which goes into effect in September infringes plaintiffs' right to the free exercise of religion by barring members of faith communities from carrying out their social ministries to help aliens obtain food, clothing, shelter and worship.  Sec. 13 of the statute prohibits any person, among other things, from encouraging an alien to reside in the state in reckless disregard of the fact that the alien's presence will be in violation of federal law.