Today, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on Arizona vs. United States re: the state’s controversial anti-immigrant law, SB 1070.
From the Associated Press:
The Supreme Court struck down key provisions of Arizona’s crackdown on immigrants Monday but said a much-debated portion on checking suspects’ status could go forward.
The court did not throw out the state provision requiring police to check the immigration status of someone they suspect is not in the United States legally. Even there, though, the justices said the provision could be subject to additional legal challenges.
The decision upholds the “show me your papers” requirement for the moment. But it takes the teeth out of it by prohibiting police officers from arresting people on minor immigration charges.
Originally, the law would have allowed law enforcement officers to arrest a person based on the “reasonable suspicion” of a person being an “illegal alien” – meaning if you appear to be an immigrant or an extraterrestrial, you could be arrested if you don’t have your papers.
Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice Education Fund, issued this in response to today’s Supreme Court ruling on the Arizona anti-immigration law.
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling on Arizona’s anti-immigrant law dealt the state and its nativist allies a strong rebuke. By a 5-3 majority the Court ruled that Arizona’s attempt to take federal law into its own hands is unconstitutional.
“On the other hand, the Court did not enjoin, for now, the provision of the Arizona law that will inevitably lead to racial profiling based on the way Arizonans look and speak, including native-born citizens. We fear the real world consequences of persistent discrimination will now expand, especially in a state led by Governor Jan Brewer and patrolled by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
“Nevertheless, we are confident that the civil rights cases brought by our movement’s litigators will ultimately succeed in having federal courts strike down the racial profiling provision. And we are confident that our movement will continue to mobilize voters, build power and fight for humane and workable immigration reforms at the local, state and federal levels until we win. For us, victory is not a matter of if, but of when.”
