News / Law
New Legal Challenges Put Arizona Immigration Law on Hold
Despite the fact that the Supreme Court held up the “papers please” provision of Arizona’s immigration law, it is a long way from implementation because of new legal challenges.
Immigrant and civil rights groups filed new legal challenges against Arizona S.B. 1070, alleging that it could lead to racial profiling and the unconstitutional detention of people.
In 2010, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton placed an injunction on the provision, which gives police the authority to check the immigration status of people they stop, who they suspect are undocumented.
The 9th Circuit of Appeals announced the case would be put back in the hands of Bolton who could lift the injunction and allow the law to be enforced, but legal challenges by advocacy groups could delay implementation for several weeks.
Last month, the ACLU filed a suit to block the law and plan on presenting evidence next which shows people were detained for an immigration check despite the fact the law is not in force.
In an interview with Fox News Latino, director of the American Civil Liberties Union, Alessandro Soler said, “We’re asking the judge to take into account our request to halt implementation based on examples we are going to present next week concerning people who are being detained for longer periods to verify their immigration status.
The law faces other challenges as some law enforcement agencies are reluctant to enforce the law for fear of alienating immigrant communities who can be crucial to investigations. Some police are reluctant to become immigration enforcement officers.
As state laws get tougher on immigration, it is crucial that anyone who is undocumented get the advice of an immigration attorney help them get on the pathway to a legal presence.
