Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 7/7/10

The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday filed suit against the state of Arizona over the state law passed in April that directs police to verify immigration status when investigating other alleged crimes and empowers them to question anyone they suspect is an illegal immigrant. 

The case filed in federal court in Phoenix seeks a preliminary injunction to stop the law from going into effect later this month. The Justice Department's brief argued that the Constitution and federal law do not allow "a patchwork of state and local immigration policies" around the country, which it said would disrupt federal immigration enforcement. 

The lawsuit also alleges the state law would burden federal agencies, diverting resources from higher priorities, such as illegal immigrants implicated in terrorism cases, drug smuggling or other crimes, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The lawsuit invoked the legal doctrine of “preemption,” which basically says federal law trumps state statutes. The Washington Post quoted law enforcement sources as saying the Justice Department officials believe enforcing immigration laws is a federal responsibility.

The law has sparked protests and has been criticized by President Obama, who has called it “misguided” and “ill conceived.” (See Meatingplace story on April 26, 2010 titled Ariz. immigration law touches off firestorm.)

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