Arizona Appeals Immigration Law to US Supreme Court

Posted August 11th, 2011 at 3:30 am (UTC-5)
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The governor of of Arizona has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that blocked key provisions of the state's immigration enforcement law.

Governor Jan Brewer appealed to the nation's highest court Wednesday after a lower court barred certain provisions of the law she signed last year. Those include requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone they questioned or detained and suspected of being in the country illegally.

Brewer says Arizona faces the most problems caused by illegal immigration, and that federal authorities have not done enough to enforce immigration laws along the state's border with Mexico.

Opponents of the law say it is unfair and could lead to racial profiling.

The lower court decision sided with the Obama administration, which says the measure is unconstitutional and that only the federal government has the power to enforce immigration laws.

The Supreme Court must choose whether to accept the case, and will likely decide after it begins its new term in October.