Attention to Arizona

Tension over the Arizona law has not eased up and isn't going to. Arizona's SB 1070 allows police officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws and required immigrants to prove they were authorized to be in the country, giving police officers a larger role in enforcing immigration violations.  Democrats obviously see this as "un-American and unconstitutional." U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruled in a suit brought by the Obama administration, provisions are to be halted until there could be a trial on whether they would interfere with federal authority on immigration and subject legal residents to unwarranted scrutiny.

The parts of the law that were suspended called for police officers to arrest people based on their appearance and detain them until their immigration status was determine. For now, at least, police won't be required to check the immigration status of people they suspect are illegal immigrants whom they stop or arrest for other offenses. Nor will immigrants without proper papers face state misdemeanor charges. Also, police officers were given new powers to impound illegal immigrants. 

The ruling has only marked the beginning of lengthy and costly courtroom battles in a case that is destined for the Supreme Court. "There are no winners here. No matter what the courts ultimately decide, we will still have wasted millions of dollars, and our borders will still not be secure," said Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick. The administration needs to redirect their focus on getting the border under control and developing a national strategy.

Bolton has received death threats from both sides of the controversy. Tension over SB 1070 will most likely remain unresolved for some time. The Obama administration needs to bring immigration reform and border security to the top of their list because whether the Arizona rulings are viewed as protecting or discriminating against their people, this problem needs to be solved.