Arizona Immigration Law: Governor Brewer Claims Victory

Arizona Immigration Law: Governor Brewer Claims Victory Arizona Governor Brewer declared victory on Monday, and the Supreme Court declared that the most controversial part of Senate Bill 1070...

Arizona Immigration Law: Governor Brewer claimed victory Arizona Governor Brewer declared victory on Monday, and the Supreme Court declared that the most controversial part of Senate Bill 1070 has been preserved. "This is the day we've been waiting for, and we were not wrong: Arizona is ready!" Brewer said at a news conference Monday morning. The eyes of the world, as well as critics, are on Arizona, she said. She firmly believes that the law will protect the rights of citizens, but will not affect law enforcement based on racial appearance. Although the High Court rejected three of the four provisions. One thing that remains is that local police who suspect illegal immigrants can ask them to produce immigration certificates or documents. An injunction preventing the provision from taking effect remains in place, the Supreme Court announced its ruling. The situation now goes back to the lower courts. Authorities can't begin enforcing the rule yet until U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton lifts the 2010 injunction. It's unclear how long the process might take. The court's split decision on immigration law was portrayed by national media as a victory for Brewer and his supporters, but the bigger winner was the Obama administration, which had been sued for blocking the immigration law from taking effect. Brewer sidestepped the question of whether the final verdict was a real victory, repeating that the Supreme Court upheld the "heart of the law." Brewer could not say how the ruling would affect law enforcement. She added "This is not the end of our journey and we want the lawsuit to be enforced." In 2010, the Arizona Legislature passed and Brewer signed SB1070 into law, which set off an international political storm and a two-year court battle. Monday's ruling comes more than a week after President Obama's administration revamped its immigration enforcement policies. Brewer, a Republican, is an outspoken critic of Obama. Her criticism ranged from federal lawsuits to challenges to Section 1070 of the Immigration Protection Act to unemployment issues. During a January visit, organizers caricatured Brewer as a notorious figure, wagging her finger at Obama and writing under the photo, "Let's go, girl!"