Progress made, but immigration checks by police still allowed
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal law trumps state law, rejecting key parts of controversial Arizona immigration laws. The Court ruled that Arizona could not force immigrants to carry their immigration paperwork, proving they have legal status. The Court also struck down the state’s mandate that authorized jail time for undocumented immigrants looking for work.
The court, however, upheld the part of the law that allows police to check immigration status while enforcing other laws. “The National Government has significant power to regulate immigration,” wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy in the majority opinion. “Arizona may have understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration while that process continues, but the state may not pursue policies that undermine federal law.”
The Court seemed skeptical of the ability of Arizona to carry out an immigration checking process without complicating problems (such as racial profiling we are thinking at JFON DFW). They left the door very open to hearing further cases concerning the law. Please pray for the immigrants and citizens of Arizona!