FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY "STAYS" (FREEZES) NASTY PARTS OF ARIZONA'S IMMIGRATION LAW

From: New York attorney Gary E. Rosenberg (personal injury and accident attorney and lawyer; serving Brooklyn Queens Bronx; Queens Accident Attorney)

Nothing about personal injury or accident cases intoday's blog. But still, a topic of extreme issues for people who care about what happens in America.

 Today, July 28, 2010, United States District Court Judge Susan Bolton, sitting in Phoenix, Arizona, blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona's new immigration law from going into effect tomorrow (Thursday, July 29, 2010).

In particular, Judge Bolton "stayed" the sections of the law that required police to check immigration status whenever routine stops were made for traffic violations or any other reason, or arrests for anything at all.

The judge also stayed the aspects of the law requiring immigrants to always have proof of citizenship and prevented undocumented aliens from looking for work.

Following the traditional argument made when enacting injunctive relief, Judge Bolton ruled that "Preserving the status quo is less harmful," and she found it likely "that officers will wrongfully arrest legal resident aliens."

The challenges to the law continue on, because the blocking of its provisions is temporary, until the validity of the law is finally ruled on -- a process that likely will end up taking this case all the way up to the United States Supreme Court some years from now.

The Arizona State law was challenged by the Obama White House and the American Civil Liberties Union. Justice Department lawyers argued that Arizona's state law regulated immigration, the exclusive responsibility of the federal government.

They argued that the law could lead to harassment of legal residents and citizens who fell under suspicion by the police and could damage relations with Mexico and other countries the United States relies on for cooperation with law enforcement and other matters.

Critics say the law codifies racial profiling and legalizes the harassment of all Latinos, legal or not.

The decision came as police were making last-minute preparations to begin enforcing the law, and demonstrators gathered for a large demonstration to, essentially, dare cops to demand to see their papers.