Arizona’s immigration law, SB 1070, is back in court on Tuesday morning. A coalition of civil rights groups is trying to block the so-called “show me your papers” provision from taking effect.
The provision, Section 2B, is often called the heart of Arizona’s controversial law.
It says if police are enforcing other laws, and they come across people they suspect are in the country illegally, they must check their immigration status.
Two years ago federal District Judge Susan Bolton blocked that provision of the law, among others, from taking effect while the case was litigated. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down three provisions because they preempted federal law, but found that Section 2B could go into effect.
That hasn’t happened yet because now a coalition against the law is raising new challenges, including civil rights claims. Opponents of the law say Section 2B will result in racial profiling and prolonged detentions.
In addition, the civil rights coalition is asking Bolton to block another provision of the law that would make it a state crime to harbor or transport an unauthorized immigrant. That provision was not before the Supreme Court.
Attorneys from both sides will give oral arguments to Bolton in federal district court in downtown Phoenix on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, federal courts in other parts of the country are grappling with the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in USA vs. Arizona on other state immigration laws.
On Monday the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals released its ruling that Georgia's version of the "show me your papers" provision could be implemented, and a similar provision in the Alabama law could remain in effect.
The federal appeals court ruled other provisions of the states' laws should be blocked, including the section of the Georgia law that would have criminalized harboring an unauthorized immigrant.
