Arizona immigration law to be reviewed by Supreme Court
Monday, 12 December 2011The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to rule on a controversial law targeting illegal immigrants in the southwestern state of Arizona.
The high court agreed on Monday morning to review a federal appeals court decision blocking key parts of the law from being implemented. The court date has not been decided, but it is anticipated that justices will release a decision in the summer after hearing arguments this spring.
The Arizona law requires police to check immigration status during routine traffic stops, arrests and other investigations if they suspect a person is in the country illegally. It also requires registered immigrants to carry documentation with them at all times, or be subject to 30 days imprisonment.
Arizona Governor Janice Brewer applauded the U.S. Supreme Court decision to hear the case saying illegal immigration is a strain on the state. Gov. Brewer pushed for review by the Supreme Court after Arizona federal Judge Susan Bolton halted several key parts of the law in a 2010 decision that was later upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Arizona passed the law in 2010 after years of frustration in dealing with thousands of illegal immigrants, and amid complaints that the federal government was not doing enough to protect the border with Mexico. Seven lawsuits have been filed challenging the law. Bolton was asked by the Department of Justice to prevent the law from taking effect until the full case could be revied by the courts.
The Obama administration says the law interferes with the federal government's authority over immigration policy. Civil rights groups have also criticized it, saying the law could lead to racial profiling by police on the lookout for suspected illegal immigrants.
The timing of this case is likely to make immigration a key issue for the 2012 presidential candidates.
