Ruling on AZ Law: The Federal Courts Had to Step In, Lasting Solution Can Only Come from Congress

Today U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton granted a temporary injunction
on major parts of the Arizona SB1070 anti-immigration law. Among the
notable parts of her ruling, Judge Bolton enjoined the "reasonable
suspicion" section of the law and the section requiring the carrying of
federal immigration documents. Clearly, Governor Brewer and the hard
liners in the Arizona Republican party over-reached.

The following is a statement from Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America's Voice:

"Today's ruling is a welcome and important step towards limiting the reach of Arizona's 'papers please' law.

"The
tragic fact is that the judicial system was forced to intervene and
impose adult supervision in response to the irresponsible and divisive
behavior by the elected officials who currently run Arizona. The state
legislature approved this bill on a party-line vote, ensuring a divisive
debate and heated fallout. Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed this
odious bill into law, plunging Arizona further into crisis. And the two
Arizona Republican Senators - Senators McCain and Kyl - are blocking
badly needed federal reforms they once championed. Thankfully, the
Founding Fathers created checks and balances to rein in this kind of
unconstitutional and un-American legislation.

"Another
tragic fact is that the issue of illegal immigration cannot and will not
be solved by state legislatures or federal courts. It can only be
solved by Congress and the Administration, and unless and until
Washington steps up and enacts a coherent, comprehensive, and national
immigration policy, we will continue to see this debate roil local and
state politics from coast to coast. Comprehensive immigration reform
that combines targeted enforcement with a legal workforce is what the
American people want. It is more popular than the Arizona law
and an understandably frustrated public won't be satisfied until
Congress acts to put a stop to illegal immigration through comprehensive
reforms.

"Finally,
those who embrace the Arizona law as 'good politics' will likely find
themselves on the wrong side of history. In the short-term, the law
seems to be mobilizing Latino voters
- who might have sat out this year's election - to vote against
Republicans in the November midterms, while those who strongly favor the
law were already likely to vote this fall. In the long-term, an
engaged and growing Latino electorate and the anger they direct at
politicians and parties identified as supporting anti-immigrant measures
- much like California discovered in the aftermath of 1994's
anti-immigrant Proposition 187 and much of the country witnessed in the
aftermath of the 2005 Sensenbrenner criminalization bill in Congress -
could well tip the political balance in America for the next
generation.

Media Availability for Frank Sharry

To
speak with Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America's Voice about
the Arizona Court ruling and its implications, please contact Michael
Earls at (202) 494-8555