US: Federal Judge blocks Idaho’s Immigration Law from targeting HIV program
Federal judge temporarily protects HIV program from new Idaho immigration law
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Idaho from applying a new state law meant to prevent unauthorized immigrants from accessing publicly funded assistance to one health program.
U.S. District Judge Amanda Brailsford on Monday issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare from requiring citizenship status reviews for a federally funded HIV treatment program.
The decision blocks the law’s application to this program until a court hearing in two weeks about whether the court should block the law for longer.
The new law, House Bill 135, took effect Tuesday. It cuts the few publicly funded services that unauthorized immigrants can receive in the state.
The judge’s ruling came days after ACLU of Idaho sued over the new law, alleging the law is unconstitutional by violating equal protection, conflicts with federal laws and even denies federal funds to people eligible under federal law.
