Arizona’s SB1070 ‘Show Me Your Papers’ Provision Likely to Go Into Effect

On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton virtually cleared the way for Arizona to start questioning suspected undocumented immigrants they come in contact with.

By Jorge Rivas Sep 06, 2012

On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton virtually cleared the way for Arizona to start questioning suspected undocumented immigrants they come in contact with. Bolton gave the U.S. Department of Justice and Arizona 10-days to work out the wording of the order that will officially lift a 2-year-old injunction that prevented officers from checking a person’s immigration status. "The district court was correct in blocking Arizona’s harboring statute, which criminalized many everyday interactions with unauthorized immigrants. Unfortunately, the district court’s ruling let the "show me your papers" law stand, despite significant new evidence that it was passed with a discriminatory motive and will result in illegal detentions," said Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project "The ruling puts an enormous burden on the countless Arizona residents who will be victims of racial profiling and illegal detentions because of this law. We remain committed to fighting what is left of SB 1070 and defending the rights of all Arizonans to be free from this unjust law." Supporters of SB 1070, including Gov. Jan Brewer, cheered the ruling. "After more than two years of legal challenges, it is time that Section 2B of SB 1070 take effect," Brewer said in a statement. "Given today’s ruling, along with the federal court’s suggestion that it intends in the very near future to formally lift the existing injunction, it is clear the day of implementation is fast approaching." There is some good news to come out of all this. Judge Bolton issued an injunction against a statute that makes it a crime to harbor people suspected of being undocumented immigrants.