Obama Admin Challenges AZ Anti-Immigrant Law While Pushing Unprecedented Mass Deportations

Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez
Democracy Now! / Video Report
Published: Thursday 26 April 2012
Based on their line of questioning, justices across the ideological spectrum appeared reluctant to strike down the provision of Arizona’s notorious anti-immigrant law known as S.B. 1070.

We get an update from Colorlines.com reporter Seth Freed Wessler about hearings Wednesday before the U.S. Supreme Court on Arizona’s notorious anti-immigrant law known as S.B. 1070. The case could have implications for a half-dozen other states that passed similar measures which are now on hold pending its outcome. “The question on the table in the Court yesterday was what the states are allowed to do, but the question that lots of people have on the ground is, what’s Obama going to do?” says Wessler. “The administration has deported more people than ever before — 400,000 people.” Based on their line of questioning, justices across the ideological spectrum appeared reluctant to strike down the provision. Should the court uphold any part of the law, civil rights groups plan to challenge it on grounds that it discriminates on the basis of race and ethnic background. “The bottom line: They don’t really understand the extent to which this law goes deeper and really impacts the lives of people who are living here, not just those who are undocumented, but those who have been here for three or four generations who are of Latino background who are being stopped and harassed and detained,” says activist Randy Parraz of Citizens for a Better Arizona.



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ABOUT Amy Goodman

Amy Goodman is the host of "Democracy Now!," a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 900 stations in North America. She is the author of "Breaking the Sound Barrier," recently released in paperback and now a New York Times best-seller.

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3 comments on "Obama Admin Challenges AZ Anti-Immigrant Law While Pushing Unprecedented Mass Deportations"

Michael Marowitz

April 27, 2012 5:37pm

SAULT,

It's called the Department of Homeland Security. The agency used to be called the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). And they employ what you refer to as a "police force," with guns and everything.

Your first sentence suggests that you believe that Obama is not enforcing immigration laws despite the fact that the very article about which you're commenting mentions how the Obama Administration has deported over 400,000 undocumented aliens, far more than Bush ever did. Once again, a Tea Party retard like you apparently can't read a lick nor do you allow actual facts to interfere with your outlandish, hateful opinions that only mock reality.

William Bednarz

April 26, 2012 3:53pm

are you part of the problem or part of the cure ?????
those who have been here for three or four generations who are of Latino background who are being stopped and harassed and detained,”
Show your ability to come up with an answer - previous amnesty didn't work - another amnesty won't work either......those who recieved amnesty called all their relatives to come on over --. if you don't let them in also ....etc. ......
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS......SOLVE THE PROBLEM......OR DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT IT..
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENFORCE THE LAW??? IF YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENFORCE THE LAW............

SaulT

April 26, 2012 2:38pm

What part of "illegal" immigrant doesn't Obama understand (for instance, when he looks in the mirror)?

Since there's no national police force, who does he think enforces the Federal immigration laws, if not the states?!