US judge blocks provision of Arizona immigration law

Susan Bolton, a US District Judge, has refuted all arguments by Arizona that immigration rules are required for safety of the traffic.

Judge halts Arizona traffic law—Arizona immigration law, also known as SB 1070, considers it a criminal offence for anyone found to be involved in blocking traffic on streets while offering or seeking work on curbsides or in store parking lots.

But the US federal judge Bolton said there are numerous penalties already in effect in Arizona that can be enforced against people found to be violating traffic rules or creating road hazards.

The law gives authority to the police officials to verify the immigration status of anyone detained and suspected to be in the US unlawfully. The provision is among a couple of measures halted by Bolton before becoming effective in July 2010.

An appeal has been made to the US Supreme Court hearing for which will be made in April this year.

Decision hailed by plaintiffs--According to Bolton, plaintiffs wanting to overturn such law are more likely to succeed in their efforts due to their claim that such norms are a violation of the First Amendment of American Constitution. She further stated in the ruling that the interest of public gives favor to injunctive relief.

According to Jessica Karp, attorney of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, a nonprofit organization and a plaintiff in the case, the decision is, indeed, a big victory for everyone including day laborers who cherish the right to free expression on sidewalks and public streets.

Although, Arizona immigration law is being favored by several Arizonians.

However, many civil rights groups, Democrats and the US President Barack Obama have opposed it. Opponents of the controversial Arizona immigration law had said that it might result in harassment of Hispanics living in the US.

Jan Brewer, Republican Governor of Arizona had signed the tough Arizona immigration law in April two years ago in a bid to crackdown on undocumented immigration in Mexico.