Supreme Court to Review 2007 Arizona Immigration Law

The Supreme Court will hear a case this session that could clarify whether states have the right to crack down on illegal immigration. The case, to be heard Dec. 8, takes on a 2007 Arizona law — no, not that Arizona immigration law — that mandates the use of E-Verify, a federal work-eligibility verification system. Under the law, businesses that “intentionally or knowingly” hire illegal immigrants could have their licenses suspended by the state.

The question is whether states have the right to mandate such a program. Challengers of the law are making similar arguments to those being used against SB 1070, a law signed by Gov. Jan Brewer this spring that allows police to check immigration status with “reasonable suspicion” of a person’s status.

The state argues it has the right to monitor and remove business licenses because it grants them in the first place. The Supreme Court’s decision could impact the ability of states to pass laws cracking down on immigration — which many plan to do in their next legislative sessions.