Gov. Nikki Haley signed the state's new immigration law in June.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The federal government is suing South Carolina to put a stop to the state's tough new immigration law.
U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles said Monday the government wants a judge to stop enforcement of the legislation that requires officers call federal immigration officials if they suspect someone is in the country illegally following a traffic stop for something else.
Nettles said the law is unconstitutional and violates people's right to due process. He says the lawsuit was filed Monday afternoon.
South Carolina's law takes effect Jan. 1 and is among the toughest in the nation. The U.S. Justice Department is challenging similar laws in Arizona and Alabama.
The American Civil Liberties Union has also challenged similar laws in other states, and sued several weeks ago to block the South Carolina law from taking effect in January.
A spokesman for Attorney General Alan Wilson said the state had not received a copy of the lawsuit.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH