U.S. Squares Off Against Arizona at Supreme Court Over Immigration Law

The Obama Administration squared off against  the State of Arizona at the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday April 25, 2012 over Arizona’s disputed immigration enforcement law.

Arizona’s law, known as SB 1070, expanded the powers of state police officers to ask about the immigration status of anyone they stop, and to hold those suspected of being illegal immigrants. The law was later challenged by the Obama Administration.  Four of the laws most contentious provisions were suspended by federal courts. Courts later temporarily blocked other state laws, including the one in Georgia.  NY Times

At issue is whether the federal government retains exclusive authority to regulate issues relating to immigration.  The Obama Administration appears to have suffered a setback on the law’s most controversial measure:  the powers of state police officers to ask about the immigration status of anyone they stop, and to hold those suspected of being illegal immigrants.  Conservative and liberal justices who heard oral arguments on Wednesday morning seemed to find no strong objection to that section of the law, which also allows police to stop and arrest anyone they reasonably believe is in the country illegally.  US News

The Obama Administration did not suffer a defeat on all fronts today.  Arizona did not prevail in its defense of two other provisions of the law that are now blocked.  SB 1070 made a state crime to have no federal immigration papers and for an illegal immigrant to look for work.  Those provisions SB 1070 will apparently remain blocked. 

Here is a video summary of today’s events, courtesy of MSNBC News: