Supreme Court Upholds Ariz. Law on Employing Illegal Immigrants

SUPREME COURT -- May 26, 2011 at 10:51 AM EDT

Supreme Court Upholds Ariz. Law on Employing Illegal Immigrants

Updated 1:25 pm. EDT | The Supreme Court has upheld a 2007 Arizona law that targets businesses that hire illegal immigrants. The court's 5-3 ruling means that states have leeway to punish employers and, by implication, not infringe on federal immigration law.

Reuters reports, "The high court's majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts rejected arguments by business and civil rights groups and by the Obama administration that the Arizona law conflicted with federal immigration law."

The decision to uphold the 2007 law comes as Arizona appeals a ruling that blocked critical portions of a second, more expansive immigration law.

Read the full ruling:

The NewsHour examined the case's background and arguments before the Supreme Court on the Dec. 8 broadcast.

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