PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. -- A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona's immigration law from taking effect, delivering a last-minute victory to opponents of the crackdown.
The overall law will still take effect Thursday, but without the provisions that angered opponents — including sections that required officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws.
Prince William County passed a similar law three years ago, and like Arizona, the law was adjusted to prevent racial profiling.
But on the heels of the Arizona fight, Prince William County board chairman Corey Stewart this week said he plans on releasing "model legislation" as part of his "Rule of Law" campaign.
Stewart sent a media alert about the model legislation to crack down on illegal immigration statewide this week, before the Arizona judge's ruling. He said he will release the text of the legislation on Thursday at noon.
Stewart plans to distribute the model law to "elected officials and activist leaders in the Commonwealth of Virginia."
Stewart could not immediately be reached for comment on the Arizona ruling or his Thursday announcement.
In Arizona, the judge Wednesday also put on hold parts of the law that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times, and made it illegal for undocumented workers to solicit employment in public places. In addition, the judge blocked officers from making warrantless arrests of suspected illegal immigrants.
"Requiring Arizona law enforcement officials and agencies to determine the immigration status of every person who is arrested burdens lawfully-present aliens because their liberty will be restricted while their status is checked," U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruled.
She ruled that the controversial sections should be put on hold until the courts resolve the issues. Other provisions of the law, many of them procedural and slight revisions to existing Arizona immigration statute, will go into effect at 12:01 a.m.
The ruling came just as police were making last-minute preparations to begin enforcement of the law and protesters were planning large demonstrations to speak out against the measure. At least one group planned to block access to federal offices, daring officers to ask them about their immigration status.
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