ACLU Officials Respond to Supreme Court Ruling on Arizona Anti-Immigrant Law

Decision Condemned as Being on the “Wrong Side of History”

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The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld the most hotly disputed part of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, S.B. 1070, which requires police to determine the immigration status of someone arrested or detained when there is “reasonable suspicion” a person is not in the U.S. legally.

Anthony D. Romero, ACLU executive director, condemned the ruling.
“By reinstating the “show me your papers” for now, the Court has left the door open to racial profiling and illegal detentions in Arizona. The ACLU has amassed an $8.77 million war chest to fight those battles in court and to counter any and every anti-immigrant copycat measure in other states. The xenophobic virus in Arizona must be contained before it spreads to other states. These laws will devastate local economies, undermine law enforcement and pit neighbor against neighbor. It’s a toxic combination that threatens basic American values.”

Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, said the decision sets a dangerous precedent.
“Today’s opinion leaves communities in Arizona in jeopardy by reinstating the “show me your papers” provision for now. In leaving the serious constitutional problems to be resolved in future litigation, the Court fails to recognize how Arizona’s law will damage our constitutional rights as soon as it goes into effect. But the Court also delivered a sharp rebuke to Arizona by striking down three out of four provisions. Today’s decision is not the end of the story. We will ultimately win this battle in the courts and in the arena of public opinion, because there is nothing good about these laws – they’re discriminatory, they waste taxpayer money, and they wreck our economy.”