Attorney general mulls legality of illegal worker felony charge

Attorney general mulls legality of illegal worker felony charge

Attorney General Jim Hood is studying whether the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Arizona’s immigration law killed part of a Mississippi statute that made it a felony for an illegal immigrant to work in the state.

Hood said early last week he “did not know” for certain whether the June 25 Arizona ruling nullified the felony provision but would look into it. In that ruling, the Supreme Court found that Arizona overstepped its constitutional authority by setting criminal penalties for working illegally in that state.

“We are still reviewing but have not yet reached a conclusion,” said Hood spokeswoman Jan Schaeffer last week.

MBJ
7/22/12