NEW YORK (JTA) — A federal judge’s injunction of parts of the new Arizona immigration law is being praised by several Jewish organizations.
U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton issued a ruling Wednesday delaying the part of the law that would require local law-enforcement officials to check a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws. The judge also nixed enforcement of the provisions requiring immigrants to carry papers and banning illegal immigrants from looking for employment in public places.
"We commend Judge Bolton for calling into question the constitutionality of Arizona’s ill-conceived immigration law," said Gideon Aronoff, president and CEO of HIAS, the American Jewish community’s leading immigration organization. "The law would cause all Arizonans to live under a cloud of suspicion and fear, and lead to immigrant distrust of the police.
"While today’s news is encouraging, we caution that Judge Bolton’s ruling is only a preliminary action and does not put an end to the possibility of widespread racial profiling in Arizona. We look forward to a court decision that permanently halts this law."
The American Jewish Committee also praised the ruling.
Supporters of the law are vowing to fight on, while similar legislation is being pushed by politicians in as many as 18 states, according to The Associated Press.
