Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Arizona Immigration Law

Published on 07/06/2010 -

The new law, which was scheduled to be implemented later this month, allows police officers to question the residency of people in the course of enforcing other laws. The law also requires that immigrants carry their registration documents at all times, bans day laborer practices, and targets businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

The suit, which was filed in Phoenix federal court, is bound to attract heated national debate and will likely prove to be a landmark case as other states look to enact their own tough immigration laws.

The Justice Department is arguing that the Arizona law infringes on already existing federal immigration law and, consequently, violates the Supremacy Clause which holds that federal law overrules state law.

In essence, the Justice Department is arguing that immigration laws are a federal manner and that states lack the legal authority to enact their own.

Critics of the Arizona law allege that it will lead to systemic racial discrimination against Latinos. Opponents claim that the federal government fails to provide adequate border security and are frustrated over the problems often connected with immigration.

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