Arizona immigration laws to go before Supreme Court

The Supreme Court in Washington DC

Yesterday the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case on Arizona's tough immigration laws. The Court will decide whether or not Arizona is allowed to implement its anti-immigration law, SB 1070. President Obama's administration has opposed SB 1070, saying it is inconsistent with Federal Immigration Law. In April 2011, the US Ninth Circuit Court, based in California, struck down some aspects of Arizona's SB 1070. One such aspect was the requirement that police question anyone they stop in Arizona about their immigration status. This meant that by law, police were required to determine a detainee's immigration status before they could be released. It also allowed police to question anyone about their immigration status without a warrant, if they "suspected" them of being illegal immigrants. Immigrant rights activists pointed out that the law would result in wide-spread racial profiling.

While parts of the Ninth Circuit in California blocked the state of Arizona from enforcing parts of the SB 1070 law, Arizona challenged that decision, asking the Supreme Court to review the case.

The state of Arizona's push to make life difficult for immigrants has continued, despite the recalling of Russell Pearce, architect of SB 1070 and President of the Arizona State Senate. Pearce, a tea-party representative, was recalled in early November, when citizens of the state organized against him across party lines. He was replaced by more moderate Republican Jerry Lewis, who originally opposed SB 1070. However, many of Pearce's ultra-right allies remain in the Arizona Senate.

The struggle for immigrant rights continues!

See articles on the Arizona Supreme Court Case by The New York Times and Huffington Post