Federal authorities have asked an appeals court to reject Arizona’s bid to overturn a ruling that bars enforcement of a minor section of the state’s 2010 immigration law prohibiting the harboring of illegal immigrants, AP reports.
The U.S. Justice Department told the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a Dec. 27 filing that Arizona’s harboring ban is trumped by the federal government’s broad immigration powers and that federal law already prohibits people from harboring illegal immigrants within the United States.
The federal government, which filed a lawsuit in 2010 challenging the law, filed the brief as part of a separate challenge mounted by a coalition of civil rights groups.
The harboring ban was in effect from late July 2010 until U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton blocked its enforcement on Sept. 5 as part of civil rights coalition’s challenge. Two weeks before shelving the ban, Bolton said she knew of no arrests that were made under the provision.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the measure known as SB1070 into law and serves as the statute’s chief defender, has asked the appeals court to reverse Bolton’s ruling. Her office did not respond to requests for comment this week.
Kozachik imposes rules after threat of disruption to roast
