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October 4, 2011

Alabama: Latino Students Disappear Due to New Far-Reaching Immigration Law 
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School districts across Alabama are reporting a large number of Latino
students have stopped attending classes since a federal judge upheld
Alabama's new far-reaching immigration law that requires schools to
ascertain the immigration status of children. Nearly 2,000 Latino
students were absent on Friday — about 5 percent of the entire Latino
population of the state school system. In the single town of
Albertville, 123 students have withdrawn from school. Immigrant rights
advocates report many pregnant women are now afraid to go to the
hospital and victims of crimes are afraid to call the police. It is not
known how many entire families have fled the state over the past week.



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