Supreme Court Upholds Law Penalizing Businesses for Hiring Illegal Immigrants

The 5-3 decision could preview how the court would rule on a second, more controversial Ariz. immigration law.

By Josh Voorhees | Posted Thursday, May. 26, 2011, at 12:34 PM EDT
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The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld an Arizona law that penalizes businesses for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.

The decision applies only to the Arizona statute licensing businesses, and does not directly impact the challenge to the more high-profile Arizona immigration law requiring police to check the immigration status of individuals in certain circumstances.

Nevertheless, the 5-3 decision rejects arguments that states have no role to play in immigration matters, offering a possible preview of how the court may come down if and when it rules on that second, more controversial law, which is already working its way through the federal courts.

Under the less controversial Arizona law upheld Thursday, employers could lose their business licenses if they are found to have hired illegal immigrants. The law, McClatchy notes, also requires Arizona employers to use a federal program called E-Verify to check the immigration status of would-be workers.

Those voting to uphold the law: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas. Those voting against: Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayro. Justice Elana Kagan did not participate because of her prior role as President Obama’s solicitor general.

The decision is seen as a blow to both the Obama administration and the politically powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce, both of which had opposed the law.

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/05/26/arizona_immigration_law_supreme_court_upholds_ariz_law_penalizin.html?from=rss/&wpisrc=newsletter_slatest

Ah man, I got so excited when I read the title,
I thought you were talking about the DR.......................

I am disappointed...

Good one.