Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown said the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Monday to strike down parts of Arizona’s controversial immigration law “is another reminder that the federal government needs to deal with our broken immigration system.”
The court ruled that Arizona cannot make it a state crime for a person to be in the country illegally; cannot make it a crime for illegal immigrants to apply for a job; and cannot arrest someone solely out of suspicion that they are an illegal immigrant. The court upheld part of the Arizona law requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone they detain.
Arizona is one of several states that have implemented strict laws aimed at curbing illegal immigration. Proponents of the laws say states must step in, since the federal government has not successfully done so. The Obama administration challenged the Arizona law, arguing that the power to regulate immigration rests with the federal government, not the states.
Obama also announced recently that the Department of Homeland Security would give work visas and temporary relief from deportation to children of illegal immigrants who have met certain conditions. The policy is similar to the DREAM Act, an act Congress failed to pass in 2010 giving a path to citizenship to children of illegal immigrants.
Brown opposed the DREAM Act and the president’s decision. His Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren supported both.
Brown on Monday reiterated his support for securing the border and “turning off the magnets that encourage people to come into country illegally.” Brown has supported an employer verification system and penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants. He also opposes giving drivers’ licenses and in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.
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This story first ran in the Springfield Republican on June 25, 2012.
