The ACLU of Louisiana is suing the state over its law making it a state crime to interfere with immigration enforcement operations. Legal Director Nora Ahmed says the ACLU filed the suit on behalf of Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy, which has been providing outreach to let people know of their rights with Border Patrol agents potentially arriving in their neighborhoods.
“People are terrified, and from what I hear is happening on the streets right now, they have every reason to be in abject terror of what we are currently hearing the Department of Homeland Security is undertaking,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed says the way the law is written, someone could be arrested simply for letting people know that Border Patrol agents are in the vicinity.
“It appears as though it is limited to ensuring that nobody speaks out against the operation, because anything someone does could theoretically fall within the ambit of the statute,” Ahmed explained.
Ahmed says the law is essentially silencing ISLA in violation of its First Amendment rights.
“With that law on the books, ISLA cannot go out right now and desperately provide a much-needed service to the community, unless and until a court says that they can,” Ahmed said.
In a statement, Attorney General Liz Murrill says the state law is constitutional, and she looks forward to defending it in court.
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