Arizona Immigration


On Friday, April 23, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law SB 1070, the immigration measure that has received attention throughout the country. President Barack Obama has expressed opposition to the bill in a statement he made at a naturalization ceremony the same day. The bill was originally passed by the Senate 17-13 on February 25. It was amended in the House and passed 35-21 on April 13. The Senate concurred with the House amendments 17-11 on April 19.
The final version of the bill contains provisions related to immigration enforcement, but the provision that has received the most attention is a requirement that law enforcement officers and agencies, during lawful contact made by the officer or agency, to determine the immigration status of an individual if there is "reasonable suspicion" that the individual is not documented to live in the United States.