Major Civil Rights Groups Sue Arizona

The ACLU, NAACP, and Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed a lawsuit challenging the recent AZ immigration bill's constitutionality on Monday. County attorneys and sheriffs from AZ's 15 counties were named as defendants. The suit is the fifth to challenge the bill so far. The first four were hired on behalf of individuals: 3 police officers and 1 on behalf of a group representing Latinos. All 5 cases have similar arguments against the bill. Flagstaff, Tucson, and San Luis have authorized a legal challenge against the bill but not filed suit.

Along with allowing law enforcement to check papers if they have "reasonable suspicion" that someone is in the country illegally, the bill also prohibits searching for day labor on the roadside and criminalizes being in the US illegally. Supporters of the law state that it mirrors federal regulation requiring immigrants to have documents pertaining to their immigration status. The suit alleges that the bill will encourage racial profiling, hamper social services, and discourage people from going to the police to report crimes. Nina Perales, of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, states that the new state crimes and requirement for police questioning violate federal law.

UPDATES!

**Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano admitted that she has not read the controversial Arizona immigration law even though she's gone on national television to critisize it.

**Rumors are circulating that Miss Oklahoma lost the Miss USA Crown due to the new Arizona Immigration Law. Smells like a conspiracy!

**New Arizona law is going to cost thousands, especially to those boycotting all things Arizona. New immigration law in Arizona funded on $250,000.