Federal judge OKs South Carolina immigration checks A federal judge has upheld a South Carolina law allowing police to check people's immigration status. But U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel said in a ruling Thursday that he would continue a prohibition keeping other parts of the state's tough immigration law from becoming effective. Gergel in December blocked several sections from going into effect, including the status check provision. A lawsuit over the legislation was put on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court considered a challenge to similar legislation in Arizona. But after the U.S. Supreme Court said Arizona could let officers check the immigration status of those they pull over for another violation if they're suspected of being in the country illegally, Gergel said he would reconsider. The justices tossed out many other portions of the Arizona law.