Obama's Arizona fight hits Supreme Court

2day, the high court announced it will decide if the Arizona illegal immigration statute is constitutional or not. The Obama administration has challenged the law, they won in court of appeals. But now Arizona is fighting back, asking Supreme Court to jump in and decide it once and for all. And today, the Supreme Court says it will decide once and for all.
Of course, the timing of the decision by the court is a bit politically awkward. A ruling on this politically charge case is expected in June, just weeks before the political conventions. Governor Jan Brewer joins us. Good evening, governor.


Governor, after two losses, one in trial court and one in the U.S. court of appeals, I imagine tonight you are pleased with the Supreme Court decision to hear the case.
BREWER: We are absolutely pleased in Arizona. I think all of America is pleased. And I commend the United States Supreme Court for agreeing to hear it. We need clarity.
One thing that is interesting is the court, of course, has nine justices on it. One of the justices, Justice Elena Kagan has disqualified herself from the decision whether to hear it or not. Now it will be a four-four. Any thoughts on the fact it's only eight justices, probably?


Arizona enacted its immigration law last year and the Obama administration promptly sued to block four parts of it, saying they could not be reconciled with federal laws and policies.
The challenged provisions include a requirement that state law enforcement officers resolve the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest if they believe the individual might be an illegal immigrant. That provision also requires that the immigration status of anyone arrested be determined before they are released.
Another provision makes it a crime under state law for aliens to fail to register under a federal law and for illegal immigrants to work or to try to find work. In addition, it allows the police to make an arrest without a warrant if they believe a person has done something that would make them deportable under federal law.
The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco blocked all four provisions.
The Republican Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to review that ruling.
''I was stunned at the audacity of the Obama administration to file suit against an individual state seeking to safeguard its people,'' Ms Brewer said.
''That shock turned to outrage as the federal government proceeded to file suit against three more states - South Carolina, Alabama and now Utah - that followed Arizona's lead.''
In May, the Supreme Court upheld a different Arizona law, one that imposed harsh penalties on businesses that employed illegal immigrants.