Ariz. Illegal Immigrant Hiring Ban Stands

Court Won't Block State From Penalizing Employers Who Knowingly Hire Illegal Immigrants

(AP)  An appeals court's decision Thursday against temporarily putting on hold Arizona's employer sanctions law clears the way for prosecutors to begin bringing cases against businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied an injunction request made by business groups that are challenging the law and appealing a lower court's decision that upheld the law. The groups sought to block the law while their case was under appeal.

"This removes what may have been a potential obstacle," said Roger Hall, an attorney representing 10 of Arizona's 15 county prosecutors in the case.

The law, intended to weaken the economic incentive for immigrants to sneak across the border, took effect Jan. 1 but prosecutors agreed to not file any cases before March 1 to allow enough time for lawyers to file appeals.

It prohibits businesses from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants and suspends or revokes business license penalties for violators.

Thursday's decision was the latest in a steady stream of setbacks dealt to the business groups in federal courts, where the challenge was filed.

Julie Pace, an attorney for groups, said it was possible that employers who face enforcement cases could file challenges to specific elements of the law in state court, such as whether it applies to only new hires or all workers on the payroll.

A decision from the federal appeals court could come by late summer or early fall, Pace said.

Opponents of the law said the new rules will burden employers, poison Arizona's business climate and that cracking down on such hirings is the sole responsibility of the federal government.

Supporters said state punishments were needed because the federal government hasn't adequately enforced a federal law that already prohibits employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.

[grammawhamma]

About time.

[knyghtwolf]

AIII CHI WAWA does this mean that employers now have to pay AMERICANS a decent wage instead of being so greedy? I love this sudden climate of change, it is sooooooo temporary. All these employee identities that have come up missing on lap tops and ENTIRE servers that have hundreds of thousands of citizens names and social security informantion along with every other aspect of their lives is already being processed for south of the border. Soon old Sven Schottenhiemer or Mary McClure will look very VERY Hispanic, or possibly very Arabian. Stay tuned.

[stupidrules3]

The Arizona governmaent finally is doing the wiil of its people. Maybe the rest of our legislators will do the same.

[stupidrules3]

oops, government

[quetzal0666]

12 million new voting citizens on the way folks...

cant wait...

[gkc99]

McCain must be out of touch with his own constituency! There''s nothing John won''t do for the Mexican trucking industry.

Now Bushit''s handpicked Transportation Secretary is shoving the Mexican long-haul trucks onto our highways and down our throats, ignoring the law passed by Congress forbidding it.

And John McCain is right there leading the charge for dangerous, uninspected, overweight trucks from Mexico on our highways.

Just compare how many people died since 2001 in traffic accidents compared with how many died in the Twin Towers.

Then tell us that John McCain will make America safer!

Bushit!

[roach9703]

The Congress has to solve the problem of illegal aliens. Arizona is going to find it almost impossible to enforce this without good data and federal help.

[rowdytexan2]

Good for Arizona! Time to stop this BS.

[lochlan-2009]

"Court Won''t Block State From Penalizing Employers Who Knowingly Hire Illegal Immigrants"

Then I guess this, without a doubt republican, judge is going to allow immigration to continue to make sweat shop labor profits for corporate american executives at the expense of legal immigrants and citizens jobs. If the illegals are coming for work, and it''s legal to give them work, why are they arresting them for immigrating?

[bearswife11]

I love the idea, however, are our courts really going to uphold it? Too much greed and power out there. You know? "money talks and ...........". When is it going to stop????

[gunnerv1]

My state (Indiana) is working on a bill right now. Send them home!

[olebd]

Hmmm, my comment on this topic mysteriously disappeared. My thought was this will only be temporary because both Obama and Hillary have said they want to see a path to citizenship for the 12 million illegals already in this country. McCain is also in support of amnesty. Their (incorrect) reasoning is that it is impossible to round up and deport 12 million so, why try at all? IMO we should at least try to make a dent.

[ianlou]

This one will go to the Supreme Court at which time most of the Justices will ask Bush how they should vote on this one.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by olebd at 03:31 PM

Why of course! If Hitler was able to deport millions, I''m sure we can do better than old Hitler!

[libsrweak]

Why of course! If Hitler was able to deport millions, I''''m sure we can do better than old Hitler!

Posted by rudy654 at 07:00 PM : Feb 29, 2008
+ report abuse

***************

we start killing liberals...

[libsrweak]

The Congress has to solve the problem of illegal aliens. Arizona is going to find it almost impossible to enforce this without good data and federal help.

Posted by roach9703 at 08:44 AM : Feb 29, 2008
+ report abuse

**********

if we are obligated to ''SOLVE'' this problem then we might as well annex the entire south american continent.

[they-all-lie]

Fact... If I as a natural born citizen of this country run a stop light or kill someone, the courts and laws of this country apply to my fines or prosecution.
Seriously if they don''t intend to enforce the laws, let that cop out of jail that killed his pregnant girlfriend in front of his son. Why make him suffer USA laws when illegals are not required to!!!!!

So why does this government buckle under dealing with illegals breaking laws everyday. Why amnesty,,,, must be the same lily livered elected officials who were elected this term to clean up the corruption that still continues.. Or the Democrats who lack a few nuggets every time they say that prosecuting Bush and Cheney for war crimes is off the table.
Lets clean house of all of them....ONE AND ALL LIARS AND THEIVES

[dowjones20k]

This one will go to the Supreme Court at which time most of the Justices will ask Bush how they should vote on this one.

Posted by ianlou at 03:55 PM : Feb 29, 2008


Another brilliant liberal ....

Cant see the forest for the trees ..

Lets not forget the crux of the issue ... ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS .. and FINALLY a court is using common sense to try and subside the infection of our society by third world, baby poping, subsidy eating, crime producing ingreats who have an opportunity to make a better life for themsleves ... but CHOOSE NOT TO because we keep dumbing down our society & laws to accomodate such ridiculousness ...

GET THEM ALL OUT .... NOW !!!

[bearswife11]

What frosts my fanny is the fact these reporters, etc. call them "illegal immigrants". They are not IMMIGRANTS. An immigrant is someone who came to this country LEGALLY and was proud to do so. He/she also worked hard to be a citizen and follow our laws. They must be very proud of the fact and I can only wonder how they feel about this so called amnesty for over 12 million (and growing) illegals.