PHOENIX -- Hundreds of people are planning to demonstrate against Arizona's new immigration law on Thursday despite a federal judge's last-minute decision to block the most controversial parts of the measure.
Demonstrators with the Los Angeles-based National Day Laborer Organizing Network and the immigrant-rights group Puente say they will march from the state Capitol at dawn, followed by a prayer service at a local church.
Activist Salvador Reza says demonstrations are planned outside Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office at 9 a.m. Reza says
some demonstrators have promised nonviolent civil disobedience, but he couldn't provide more details.
About 500 labor activists from Los Angeles plan to march to the state Capitol from a nearby church Thursday afternoon.
Ariz. to appeal judge's ruling on immigration law
Lawyers for Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer will ask a federal appeals court on Thursday to allow blocked provisions of the state's new immigration law to take effect.
U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton's order Wednesday said controversial sections of the law should be put on hold until the courts resolve the issues, including parts that required officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws.
Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman says the state will ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to lift Bolton's preliminary injunction and to expedite its consideration of the state's appeal.
Portions of the law not included in the preliminary injunction still took effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
Those provisions not blocked mean it is now a state crime to transport or harbor illegal immigrants. It is also illegal to stop in traffic to pick up day laborers. In addition, Arizona residents are allowed to file suit against "sanctuary cities" or any government agency that restricts enforcement of federal immigration law in any manner.
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