On the heels of a federal court injunction that blocked Texas from banning sanctuary cities, Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that Alabama has signed onto a multi-state amicus brief which opposes the court injunction.

Since the federal ruling was against Texas and not the other states attached to the brief, one of the most impactful methods Marshall could use to the fight legal precedent that might make its way into Alabama was to use the amicus brief. In short, this type of brief is a tool used by attorneys to enter into cases they were not originally a party to, so long as they have a strong interest in the case that was decided. As a policy matter, Marshall has made clear that Alabama will honor President Trump’s ban on sanctuary cities. This gives Alabama a strong enough interest in the case to allow them to enter into the brief.

In a press release outlining why Alabama become involved, Marshall explained,

“When local officials deliberately choose to ignore the law and thereby place their citizens at risk, the result is a breakdown in the rule of law. This is precisely what we are witnessing with sanctuary cities and localities which prohibit or impede cooperation between federal and local officials on immigration enforcement. Alabama supports Texas’ sanctuary cities ban because we believe individuals states should have the right to prohibit sanctuary cities within their borders.”

As of June, Alabama was one of many states defending President Trump’s order that directs the federal government to take lawful actions to ensure compliance with laws prohibiting sanctuary cities. Now, Alabama has joined Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia in the brief to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Here is a complete copy of the brief.