Strict Arizona immigration law gets Supreme Court blessing

David Walker, a Southern Arizona rancher, stands at the border wall with Mexico on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2010 in Hereford, Ariz. Walker was attending the United Border Coalition Tea Party Rally in support of Arizona's immigration law, SB1070 with conservative tea party activists along a remote stretch of the Arizona-Mexico border about 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Nogales.

/ AP Photo/Matt York

The Supreme Court gave its blessing today to one of the strong immigration control laws passed by Arizona, a law that has served as a model for similar measures in other states.

Arizona requires businesses to use the national eVerify system to check workers immigration status. Licenses are revoked when illegal immigrants are intentionally employed.

The Chamber of Commerce and labor groups formed a powerful coalition to challenge the law. They argued it steps on the federal government's broad immigration powers.

Conservatives carried the day in the 5-3 vote. Chief Justice John Roberts said while federal law bars states from imposing civil and criminal penalties for immigration violations, Arizona's license revocation statute doesn't fall into the category.

Mike Hethmon of the Immigration Reform law Center praised the ruling.

"The Supreme Court has essentially given its seal of approval to states making eVerify mandatory for businesses in their jurisdiction," Hethmon said.

Roy Beck of the reform group NumbersUSA sees it as much more than that, calling the ruling "a tremendous victory for unemployed Americans."

"There are about 7 million illegal aliens estimated to be working in non-agricultural jobs. There are many Americans unemployed and lined up to get those jobs," Beck claimed.

Also supporting the ruling is the Latino advocacy group known as the League of United Latin American citizens (LULAC).

Luis Vera, LULAC's general counsel, says the law should expose businesses that utilize underpaid immigrants in unsafe conditions.

About a dozen states have laws similar to Arizona's.

"There are at least a dozen other states that have held back," Rob Beck said, "I think we're going to see those states passing those laws in the next year."

Further, he predicts the business community's concerned for a single uniform system will send it from the Supreme Court across the street to Congress, to push for a standard nationwide eVerify requirement.

One of the Chamber of Commerce's primary complaints to the Supreme Court was that employers would be facing a myriad of state laws that raise business costs.

Making its way to the justices is the challenge over Arizona's better known enforcement measures, which include allowing police to stop anyone suspected of being an illegal alien.

Lower courts have struck down key provisions. CBS News Senior Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen says while scholars will be poring over the language of today's ruling, the issues are different and the justices may not rule in favor of states' rights in that case.

At NumbersUSA, Roy Beck believes that law does not reduce illegal immigration as much as the one that was the subject of today's decision.

He says that's because "the thing that causes illegal aliens to go home eventually and prevents illegal aliens from wanting to come is whether they can get jobs."

[WeHappyFew]

When the average Arizonan is paying 37 cents and a rusty button per hour for their pool boy, domestic, gardener, car washer, carer etc etc, and all these staff are non english speaking Mexican, are you telling me they don't know these people are most probably illegal?

OF COURSE they know but they're using that agency to save themselves a few bucks. They are not employing directly they are not breaking any law. They are merely creating the demand which breeds the supply of illegal workers. Same people who stand wearing a hat covered in teabags yelling for an immigration clamp down.

Companies tendering out construction contracts to the lowest bidder. Undocumented workers used but hey, they're not employing them. They're not breaking the law. They're saving themselves a few bucks...................

[formrusmcsgt]

by notfucharley May 26, 2011 10:32 PM EDT
This is great news. I can't wait until they pass a similar law. The government has free verification software that will eliminate 95% of the hiring of illegals,
---
Not even close.

A study performed last year by an independent firm found eVerify wrong 54% of the time.

You have no clue what you're talking about.

[jmberry]

The reason it is wrong so much of the time is because illegal aliens game the system by using stolen identities. That is not the fault of the system but of the thieves and criminals encouraged by unregistered foreigners desperate to stay here regardless of violating US laws.
People who come here illegally don't respect American law to begin with. Since they broke one law, why should it bother them to break others?

[RobAla]

This is good news.

[pasha128]

Good news that the Arizona Governor has NOT been enforcing the Legal Arizona Workers Act that requires her to punish employers of illegals. This law (Legal Arizona Workers Act) has never been declared unconstitutional by any court (unlike SB1070 that has yet to have many provisions ruled constitutional by any court).

[nearl451]

Watch for the race wars in the next election.

I'm sure the GOPwill have plenty of legal immigrant support. LOL.

[animaltoo]

This is a very good thing. Along with all of our immigration laws, it needs enforcement. But, this one does not depend on the federal government doing its job, so things are looking up for Arizona and its citizens. The Administration ties the hands of ICE whenever possible.

[kscaptain]

Right is only right. Legal immigration has always been welcome in this country. Dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" and do the paperwork. That is all it takes to do it right. Yes, it takes longer than wading the river, but at least they can stay here if they are willing to be productive citizens. The other kind, we do not want or need here. Check the cost of prisons for illegals in any state you choose and you will understand where a great portion of your tax money is going, not to mention all the drugs and heartache that are that are deposited on US citizens by the criminal element that is invading your community and mine. Just do it right.

[pasha128]

Will the Arizona Governor actually start enforcing the Legal Arizona Workers Act and punish the EMPLOYERS of illegals as she has been empowered to do for her entire term as governor?

[pasha128]

Or will the Arizona Governor continue to waste her efforts on the twice ruled unconstitutional provisions of SB1070

[pasha128]

This is not SB1070. This law requires the state to punish employers of illegals that the Governor does not want to and has not enforced yet. Perhaps Arizona's governor will begin enforcing one of the few Constitutional laws passed by her legislature sometime soon.

[MrMag00]

To those that don't think it will be a big deal to prove your citizenship I would ask this, how you going to do it? We we natural born citizens be required to carry another form of identification? Maybe we could tatoo all babies with thier SSN shortly after birth. If we do it on the forehead then it won't seem so invasive and you could readily check the status of the person you're talking to. Might have to ban hats as that might be an attempt to subvert the system.
How many liberties am I expected to give up, as a citizen, to ensure that no undeserving person is employed?

[Dont_Tread_on_me]

You are aware that it clearly states on the "Green Card" that it must be kept with person at all times. There is no change in any law, just the enforcement, same with SB1070.

[pasha128]

Dont_Tread_on_me -- SB1979 still is embroiled in constitutional issues in the courts. The law considered constitution is the 2007 Legal Arizona Worker's Act (signed by Democrat Governor Janet Napolitano) that the Current Republican Arizona Governor Brewer is NOT ENFORCING because she is blocking prosecution of EMPLOYERS as required by the law.

[nkhaliqx81]

Roy Beck of the reform group NumbersUSA sees it as much more than that, calling the ruling "a tremendous victory for unemployed Americans."

LOL really hard. u think illegal immigrants are vying for corportate jobs? Could u name just one american that wants to clean toilets, or work at vegetable supermarket?

[Josh-in-Denver]

As a matter of fact, I have a friend I helped out by moving her to Denver about a year ago. She has been searching for a job ever since, cannot find one, speaks fluent spanish, and for some reason, nearly every place she has applied to has an almost fully Hispanic staff that turns over with yet more hispanics on a regular basis. Yes, there are white folks who aren't above cleaning toilets, but right now, menial jobs seem to all go to Hispanic people. Fine if they're citizens, and I personally think there should be a system for illegal immigrants to apply without the catch 22, but instead, all I see is new kind of racial tension evolving. This law at least puts citizens back into equal opportunity. Right now too many employers hire undocumented immigrants because they don't pay them as much. That has gotta stop.

[animaltoo]

There is a worksite near where I live that is covered with illegals. It is refreshing to see yet more developers lining their pockets with money they would have to use to pay a legal citizen a living wage. Everyone is cheated but the greedy developer. The taxpayers and unemployed construction workers suffer an awful lot.

[livin42dayy]

Once again a article incorrectly. Sumises the Arizona, it does not give the police the right to stop people suspected of being illegal. It does give them the right to question their status if thought to be illegal afterbeing legally stopped for committing a offense of other laws.