AG Wilson Asks Judge to Allow Immigration Law to Take Effect

Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that the State of South Carolina and Governor Nikki Haley have filed motions to both allow the State’s immigration law to take effect on January 1, 2012, as scheduled, and to halt further hearings in the matter until the United States Supreme Court issues a ruling on Arizona’s law. The two laws are nearly identical.

The motions, filed today by Attorney General Wilson on behalf of both defendants, ask “that Act 69 of 2011 be allowed to take effect in January as scheduled.”

The motions explain, “To say that this case before the Supreme Court is important to the instant suit would be an understatement. A ruling by the Supreme Court in Arizona is likely to resolve most or all of the issues in the instant case.”

“South Carolina has a right to implement this law and protect itself while this important matter is being considered by the highest court in the land,” said Wilson. “We have asked the judge to defer to the U.S. Supreme Court, thereby letting our law go into effect as scheduled.”

Read the motions:

• Motion 1
• Motion 2

Read full release.