Arizona AG Tom Horne Statement Regarding U.S.
Supreme Court Intent to Decide S.B. 1070
PHOENIX (Monday, December 12, 2011) -- Arizona
Attorney General Tom Horne today released the following statement
regarding the announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court that the
Court granted certiorari for the petition for review in Arizona
v. United States, the legal case involving S.B. 1070.
“The U.S. Supreme Court’s grant of certiorari in the S.B. 1070 case
is an important step in what I hope will be the ultimate vindication
of S.B. 1070. One little-noticed aspect of the 9th Circuit decision
to be reviewed is its conclusion that S.B. 1070 unlawfully
trespasses on federal monopoly of foreign relations. Arizona has not
opened any embassies, consulates, nor has it entered into any
agreements with foreign countries. What it has done is pass a law
that foreign countries disagree with. This is common. For example,
Arizona has capital punishment, which many foreign countries
disagree with. If a federal court can cancel state laws on the
grounds that foreign countries disagree with them, and this
therefore trespasses on the federal monopoly on foreign relations,
then the sovereignty of our entire country has been severely
weakened.
The Arizona law mirrors federal immigration law in many respects,
and gives state and local law enforcement agencies a vital tool to
deal with suspected illegal immigrants. This is a reasonable and
practical measure that I hope will be vindicated by the Supreme
Court.”