Today, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a large majority of Arizona's tough immigration law that was designed to assist police officers from that state to arrest illegal immigrants.
It did however uphold one of the most controversial elements of that Arizona law that allows Arizona officers that have a reasonable suspicion, to check on the immigration status of people that they stop for other reasons.
The other three provisions of that law, making it a crime for immigrants to seek work without work permits, criminal actions for immigrants to fail to keep registration documents on their person, and the provision that authorizes officers to arrest any individual that they think is deportable, were struck down by the nation’s highest court.
The Arizona law was passed by that state’s legislature in 2010, it was seen as necessary in that southwestern state because of what theys aid is a failure of the federal government to fully enforce the nation’s immigration laws. State leaders said the legislation was necessary to stem the flow of illegals coming from Centtral and SOutht America.
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Hispanic groups and other opponents of the controversial law say that the law forces Arizona police to racially profile people. While the Obama Administration says that enforcement of the immigration laws are in the hands of the federal government and no the individual states. Immigration will be a major issue in this year’s presidential election.
Justices Anthony Kennedy, John Roberts, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor voted to strike down the striken portion of the Arizona law in a 5-3 decision.