WASHINGTON – Health care isn’t the only big decision being handed down from the Supreme Court in the coming days.
The court could rule as early as Tuesday morning on whether Arizona’s contentious immigration law has a future.
Key parts of Arizona’s SB1070 have been on hold, but court watchers like ScoutsBlog reporter Lyle Deniston say it’s likely the Supreme Court will uphold some of the law while striking down others.
The law makes it a misdemeanor crime for an immigrant in Arizona to not carry documentation. It also says that a police officer must deterimine the status of a person he has lawfully if the officer reasonably believes the person is in the country illegally.
In addition, it would make it illegal for undocumented people to work or apply for work in Arizona, among other employment provisions.
At the heart of the SB1070 debate is whether the language of the law encourages or allows racial profiling. However, the Supreme Court isn’t considering racial profiling in its ruling. The focus of the case is on whether Arizona is overstepping its bounds and interfering with the federal government.
Deniston says the Arizona law goes “considerably further” than federal law in some areas. However, Deniston says the court’s decision will likely be divided, allowing parts of the law.
Read the text of SB 1070 here.
WTOP’s Max Smith contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.
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