Bishops suing the state of Alabama!

Mobile Archbishop Thomas Rodi, formerly of New Orleans, sues to block Alabama immigration law

Published: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 5:25 PM     Updated: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 5:28 PM

By Bruce Nolan, The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune

Mobile Archbishop Thomas Rodi, a New Orleans native who served here until 2001, is one of four Alabama bishops who sued to temporarily block that state's tough new immigration law. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Blackburn on Monday blocked enforcement of the law until Sept. 29 at the latest.

Mobile Archbishop Thomas Rodi

Rodi, with Birmingham Catholic Bishop Robert J. Baker, Episcopal Alabama Bishop Henry N. Parsley Jr. and United Methodist Bishop William Willimon, all sued to block enforcement of the new law.

Supporters and opponents agree the new law seeks to be the toughest in the nation
Among other things, it requires schools to report the status of students, makes it illegal to give a ride to an illegal immigrant, rent to an illegal immigrant, or "encourage" an illegal immigrant to live in Alabama.
Rodi and the other bishops sued on grounds the law interferes with the practice of their religion and criminalizes charitable behavior.

Rodi told Mobile Catholics on their archdiocesan web site that, broadly interpreted, the "law prohibits almost everything which would assist an undocumented immigrant or encourage an undocumented immigrant to live in Alabama."

He said that would include providing counseling, food for the poor, administering sacraments, teaching English and providing other ministries.

In addition to the bishops, the Department of Justice, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center also sued to block enforcement of the law.

Rodi, a graduate of De La Salle, Georgetown, and Tulane University Law school, served as a priest in New Orleans until 2001, when he was named bishop of Biloxi.
He became archbishop of Mobile in 2008.