The Supreme Court said on Monday that it would decide whether Arizona’s tough law cracking down on illegal immigrants can take effect, a case arising from the fierce national debate on immigration policy ahead of next year’s presidential election.
[Note: This article was originally posted on December 13th, 2011. The IFNM website was attacked by hackers and many articles are now gone from the archives. As a public service, IFNM is now reposting said articles.]
Potentially deepening political divisions over the contentious immigration policy issue, the court will decide if key parts of an Arizona crackdown can proceed. The ruling could have implications for similar tough laws adopted recently in other states.
A decision upholding the Arizona law would be a legal and political blow to President Barack Obama, who has criticized it, as he seeks re-election. A pro-Arizona ruling also could encourage other states to pursue equally harsh measures.
The Supreme Court’s decision to intervene in the dispute was a setback for the administration, which sued to challenge the law and urged the justices to reject Arizona’s appeal.
The law requires police to check the immigration status of anyone they detain and suspect of being in the nation illegally. Other parts require immigrants to carry their papers at all times and ban people without proper documents from soliciting for work in public places.
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