July 29, 2010
A federal judge Wednesday temporarily blocked key parts of Arizona's new immigration law on the eve of implementation, saying it was unlikely the state would prevail in legal challenges to such provisions as requiring police to question and detain suspected illegal immigrants following routine stops.
U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton granted the Obama administration's request for a preliminary injunction on the grounds that immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government, not states. Arizona said it would appeal the decision in what could be a protracted legal battle with Washington.
Since Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the legislation on April 23, the new law has sparked a national debate over illegal immigration and become a central issue in midterm elections across the U.S. Inspired by Arizona, legislators and candidates in states stretching from Florida to Colorado have said they would draft similar laws to tackle illegal immigration. All told, about two dozen states are considering such laws.
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