TULSA, Okla., Feb. 3 (UPI) -- A U.S. appellate court has ruled against two provisions in a strict Oklahoma law governing immigration, court observers say.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver Tuesday struck down two portions of the law, one prohibiting the firing of workers who are legal residents while retaining workers who are in the United States illegally, and the other requiring businesses to obtain documents proving contractors are authorized to work, or, absent documentation, withhold taxes at the top rate, the Tulsa (Okla.) World reported.
The newspaper said the unanimous decision upholds a lower court's preliminary injunction against the two provisions.
A third part of the Oklahoma law, known as House Bill 1894, was upheld by the appellate court. It requires some government contractors to the E-Verify computer system to perform background checks of job seekers.
The law not only requires the background checks by employers statewide, but also denies illegal immigrants any benefits not required by federal law and as well as driver's licenses.
"It upholds the E-Verify provisions and it indicates we can take the additional step of requiring all employers, if we chose to do so, to use E-Verify," the law's author, Republican state Rep. Randy Terrill, told the World.
