Washington ( CNN ) -- A federal judge has again temporarily blocked enforcement of key parts of a tough immigration law in Alabama . The ruling Wednesday is a partial victory for both sides . The Justice Department had brought suit against state officials to block the law , but Alabama was given the power to enforce some controversial sections . Other opponents of the measure -- including state church leaders and the American Civil Liberties Union -- had asked U.S. Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn to stop the law , which had been scheduled to go into effect last month . `` There is a substantial likelihood that the United States will succeed on the merits of its claim that ( parts of the law ) are pre-empted by federal law , '' Blackburn wrote . `` The court further finds that the United States will suffer irreparable harm if these sections of HB 56 are not enjoined '' from taking effect . The ruling means certain parts of the law can not be enforced until a hearing on the larger issues raised in the appeal are resolved , a process that may take several months at least , and may ultimately have to be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court . At issue is whether HB 56 intrudes on the federal government 's power over all immigration matters . State officials argue the law would help Alabama and not violate civil rights . The court upheld a section of the Alabama law requiring that police `` attempt to determine the immigration status of a person who they suspect is an unauthorized alien of this country , '' according to an Alabama House of Representatives fact sheet . That provision is similar to other laws aiming to crack down on illegal immigration passed by other state legislatures over the past year . But Blackburn blocked the following provisions from being enforced : . -- One saying undocumented aliens in the state are not allowed to `` knowingly apply for work , solicit work in a public or private place , or perform work as an employee or independent . '' -- One banning the `` concealing , harboring , transporting , etc. , of unlawfully present aliens . '' -- One prohibiting employers from `` taking of a state tax deduction for wages paid to an unauthorized alien . '' But the Alabama law also includes more expansive measures , including requiring the state to check immigration status of students in public schools , that the judge allowed to go into effect for the time being . During court hearings earlier this summer in Birmingham , Alabama , an attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center argued the public school portion of the law is unconstitutional . Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange told the judge at the hearing the law would not prevent undocumented immigrants from having access to public school education . Strange also argued that the law is not an anti-immigrant measure , and that the state welcomes visitors . The judge in late August had issued a preliminary injunction against enforcement , saying she needed more time to decide the complex legal questions raised . In August , leaders from the Episcopal , Methodist and Catholic churches of Alabama separately sued Alabama 's governor , its attorney general and a district attorney over HB 56 . On Wednesday , bishops from two of those churches welcomed the decision to block the provision preventing the harboring or transporting of undocumented aliens , releasing a joint statement saying it `` protects our churches ' ministries from prosecution under this over-reaching law , and substantially protects our religious liberties . '' `` We will continue to provide food , shelter , transportation , housing , and the church 's sacraments to all of God 's people , regardless of race , class , or citizenship status , '' said the statement from Bishop Henry N. Parsley Jr. of the Episcopal Church 's Alabama Diocese and Bishop William H. Willimon of the United Methodist 's North Alabama Conference . But Alabama Gov . Robert Bentley , who signed the law in June , said after Wednesday 's ruling that `` Judge Blackburn upheld the majority of our law and temporarily -- and I say temporarily -- enjoined in four sections . In those parts that were upheld we have the strongest immigration law in this country . '' He said law would not have been needed `` if the federal government would have done its job and enforced the laws dealing with this problem . However , they have failed to do that . '' And he added , `` This law was never designed to hurt fellow human beings . '' Republican Alabama state Rep. John Merrill told CNN in June that the legislation would be `` good for Alabama '' because it would reduce illegal immigration to the state and `` provide equal opportunities for all people who want to come to Alabama legally . '' ACLU attorney Andre Segura noted the complexity of Alabama 's law compared with other state measures . The Mexican government had also appealed , arguing the law would promote racial profiling , targeting Hispanics especially . Alabama 's law is considered the strictest in the nation . Key portions of Arizona 's immigration reform law have also been blocked while a federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court consider various challenges . The Alabama case is U.S. v. State of Alabama ( 2:11-cv-2746 ) . CNN 's Joe Sutton and Gustavo Valdes contributed to this report .
The measure ca n't be enforced until a hearing on larger issues . The Supreme Court may end up taking the case . The judge allows the state to check the immigration status of public school students . A judge blocks a ban on illegal aliens ' looking for work .