CNN 2010-07-11

Well, you knew it was coming: the Feds suing Arizona, trying to stop its tough new immigration law. The law that among other things requires police to question people they think might be in the country illegally. It's supposed to kick in three weeks from tomorrow. The Justice Department basically says "Hold on, Arizona. You can't make your own immigration laws because that's Washington's job." Well, Governor Jan Brewer 1 says that that's the problem. Washington has not done its job and Arizona is paying the price.

"We need the federal government to do their job. And if they don't do it, then Arizona will."

So Governor Brewer says that the DOJ is wasting taxpayer 2 money fighting this law, that it should use the money to fight the violent Mexican drug cartels that've bled over the border.  The DOJ's beef with the law might be constitutional but other critics say it will encourage racial profiling.  CNN's Casey Wian takes a look at who's fighting the law and who's fighting for it.

From the moment Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed a controversial law expanding local police powers to crack down on illegal immigrants and their employers, a White House legal challenge seemed inevitable 3.  Following 12 weeks of protests, boycotts 4 and threats, the Justice Department is suing to block SB 1070 before it takes effect July 29th.  Attorney General Eric Holder 5 said in a statement, Setting immigration policy and enforcing immigration laws is a national responsibility. Seeking to address the issue through a patchwork 6 of state laws will only create more problems that it solves.  Supporters of Arizona's law say the Federal Government has created the problem, with its failure to solve the nation's illegal immigration crisis. One outspoken 7 Arizona sheriff says his deputies won't stop arresting suspected illegal immigrants because previous state laws have been upheld by Federal courts.

Lawsuits 9 are no lawsuits, I'm going to continue enforcing the Federal and State immigration laws.

The law compels local police during a lawful 10 stop, detention 11 or arrest to check the immigration status of people they reasonably suspect are illegal immigrants.  Brewer said in a statement, "The truth is the Arizona law is both reasonable and constitutional. It mirrors substantially what has been federal law in the United States for many decades." The Obama administration's lawsuit 8 does not address claims by Latino advocacy and civil rights groups that SB 1070 will encourage racial profiling and violations 12 of all immigrants' civil rights. Those groups are suing Arizona as well