USA Blocks Parts of Arizona Law  

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton of Phoenix put several sections of Arizona law SB 1070 on hold Wednesday, a day before it went into effect.

Bolton's ruling blocks the law's most controversial provisions, including warrantless arrests of individuals based solely on racial profiling, the New York Times reported.

Other suspended provisions would have made it a crime for immigrants not to have documentary evidence of their legal status in the country at all times, or to apply for work in public places.

According to Bolton's ruling, the non-suspended provisions of SB 1070 go into effect Thursday as planned.

The US Department of Justice, which maintains a lawsuit against the Arizona law, said that the judge's temporary injunction was the right decision.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Hannah August said states can and do play a role in cooperation with the federal government when establishing laws, but must "do it under the Constitution."

Along with the Justice Department lawsuit, still pending are six others filed against this law, enacted by Arizona Governor Jay Brewer in April.

According to official estimates, there are about 460,000 illegal immigrants in Arizona, mostly Hispanic, but throughout the United States the figures rise to nearly 12 million.

Source: PL