FROM CBN - ARIZONA IMMIGATION

Arizona Immigration Lawsuit Hearings BeginCBNNews.com Thursday, July 22, 2010RSS

The court battle over Arizona's immigration law began Thursday with a packed courtroom and dozens of protestors outside.

Nearly 150 spectators and 30 lawyers attended the hearing on whether Arizona's strict immigration law will go into effect in one week.

Thursday's arguments focus on one of seven lawsuits filed against Arizona.

Opponents of the law want U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton to grant an injunction to block the law before it takes effect July 29.

The law in question allows Arizona police to check a person's immigration status if suspicions arise during other law enforcement incidents.

Some feel it violates peoples' rights.

CBN News spoke with Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice about the law and whether it oversteps constitutional authority.

"It's morally wrong," said 64-year-old Phoenix nurse Sarah Fox. "I'm getting old and I don't have many years left to speak out against what is wrong."

Supporters of the law waved American flags and signs at the hearing with messages like "Illegal is illegal."

Judge Bolton has not said when she might issue a ruling.
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Nine States Support Arizona's Immigration LawCBNNews.com Thursday, July 15, 2010RSS
Nine states have officially backed Arizona's new immigration law.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox said the Wolverine State is the lead state backing the law, and has filed a supporting brief in federal court on behalf of Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia.

"Arizona, Michigan and every other state have the authority to enforce immigration laws, and it is appalling to see President Obama use taxpayer dollars to stop a state's efforts to protect its own borders," Cox said in a statement.

The Obama administration recently filed suit to block the Arizona law and argues immigration is a federal issue. The states have countered that they're authorized to enforce immigration laws and protect their borders.

"By lawsuit, rather than by legislation, the federal government seeks to negate this preexisting power of the states to verify a person's immigration status and similarly seeks to reject the assistance that the states can lawfully provide to the Federal government," Cox wrote in his brief.

The Arizona law requires officers to question people about their immigration status during enforcement of other laws if they suspect they're in the U.S. illegally. The law goes into effect July 29.