Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and other state officials named in a federal lawsuit that seeks to block the state's law cracking down on illegal immigration have asked a judge to dismiss the suit.

The state on Tuesday filed the motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed earlier this month by civil liberties groups. The civil liberties groups want a judge to declare Georgia's law unconstitutional and also to block it from being enforced.

The groups filed a request last week asking the judge to bar the law from taking effect until the lawsuit has been resolved. The judge is set to hear arguments June 20 on that request.

The state's motion comes a day after a Georgia lawyer filed another lawsuit asking the federal government to intervene to block the law

Tags: Gov. Nathan Deal, Civil Liberties Groups, Georgia Immigration law