(AP) -- COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina legislators are considering an anti-illegal immigration law similar to Arizona's.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is to debate the bill Tuesday afternoon. It would allow police to check the immigration status if an officer thinks a person is in the country illegally. The question could come after a suspect is stopped for something else.
Republicans in both chambers have called it a top priority for this year.
Arizona's law last year inspired a flurry of lawsuits.
On Monday, the president of a national civil rights group accused legislators of trampling the U.S. Constitution in the name of immigration reform. Wade Henderson of the National Conference of Civil and Human Rights says legislators are segregating Hispanics.
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