Florida Joins the U.S. Supreme Court Arizona Immigration Case
April 25th, 2012 by Mike VasilindaMore than one US Supreme Court Justice expressed concerns today about US citizens being detained under Arizona’s tough immigration law heard by the high court today. Efforts to pass a similar law in Florida failed, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, Florida’s Attorney General joined the case, urging the nation’s high court to let states detain suspected immigrants.
Florida is one of 16 states that has joined in supporting Arizona’s first in the nation immigration law before the US Supreme Court. The brief argues states can make arrests or detain people under Federal law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi campaigned on being tough on immigration.
But now the Attorney General says she only joined 14 other states supporting Arizona because the Federal Government has failed to act.
“Arizona has to protect themselves because the federal government did not protect them, and Governor Brewer had a right to protect herself and her state,” Bondi said. “It’s states’ rights. That’s what the issue is.”
Immigrants came to the capitol in force when Florida flirted with an immigration bill in 2011.
The 2011 law did not pass, but Governor Rick Scott said at the time that he would have signed. He has since stopped pushing the idea publicly.
The American Civil Liberties Union Florida says that if the nation’s high court upholds Arizona’s law, average citizens will be in trouble.
“I think people need to know what our attorney general is doing in our name,” Howard Simon, with the Florida ACLU said. “And I think she’s trying to evade responsibility for it. She has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to authorize racial profiling.”
Neighboring Georgia and Alabama have both adopted tough immigration laws and both have faced tourism and agricultural backlashes.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule in June, adding more fuel to the national campaigns.
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