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There are close to 400,000 registered Latino voters in the state, up 23 percent from four years ago, according to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). There are a similar number of Mormons living in Arizona, though the community has a longer and more established history of voter turnout. And this year, observers say, Republicans are counting on their vote.
On September 18, over the pleas of civil rights groups, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton lifted an injunction on the “papers please” provision, siding with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling. This means, police in Arizona now are required to inquire about a person’s immigration status if they have reasonable suspicion they are in the country illegally. Police could face lawsuits if they fail to enforce the law to the fullest extent.
U.S. Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism over the federal government’s arguments April 25 in a hearing on Arizona’s controversial immigration law SB 1070. The justices could issue a decision as early as June. Among the key questions at the heart of the case is whether states can enforce their own immigration laws.
From New America Media: Human and pro-immigrant rights groups renewed their calls for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s resignation, following findings by the Department of Justice of racial profiling and abuse of Latinos by his agency. The findings, announced Dec. 15, added fuel to the fire for those who want the federal government to put an end to national programs that give local police immigration powers.