U.S. Supreme Court upholds Arizona immigration Law

U.S. Supreme Court upholds Arizona immigration Law

2011-05-27 04:22:06 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON (BNO NEWS) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled to uphold an Arizona law that punishes businesses hiring undocumented immigrants.

CNN reported that the 5-3 ruling upheld the Legal Arizona Workers Act, which allows the state to suspend the licenses of businesses that "intentionally or knowingly" violate work-eligibility verification requirements. The act, which was passed in 2007, requires companies to use E-Verify, a federal database, to check the documentation of current and prospective employees.

The law, however, was challenged by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, immigration rights groups, and the Obama administration, which claim that it steps on traditional federal oversight over immigration matters.

"Arizona has taken the route least likely to cause tension with federal law," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. "It relies solely on the federal government's own determination of who is an unauthorized alien, and it requires Arizona employers to use the federal government's own system for checking employee status."

Justice Sonia Sotomayor supported civil rights and immigration rights groups, saying E-Verify is a voluntary program.

"Permitting states to make use of E-Verify mandatory improperly puts states in the position of making decisions ... that directly affect expenditure and depletion of federal resources," she wrote.

Meanwhile, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer welcomed the decision, saying that "all states are now free to take down the 'Help Wanted' sign for illegal aliens in their states."

"In light of today's decision, I am more adamant than ever that states do have a complimentary role in enforcing federal immigration laws, despite the Obama Administration's opposition at every turn," Brewer said in a statement. "I want to assure Arizonans, and all Americans, that the State of Arizona will not rest until the federal government secures our border and enforces federal immigration laws."

Brewer added that she hopes the U.S. Supreme Court would make a similar decision about the controversial S.B. 1070, which is pending at a federal appeals court. This law would give police authority to check a person's immigration status if officers have a "reasonable suspicion" that the individual is in the country illegally.

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