Federal District Court Upholds ‘Show Papers’ Provision of Arizona Immigration Law

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton of Phoenix ruled on September 5, 2012 (PDF), that the “show me your papers” provision of Arizona’s immigration law will stand, at least for now. That provision allows Arizona police officers to question immigration status while carrying out enforcement of other laws.

Judge Bolton said the law must take effect before it can be challenged, but she left the door open to potential future challenges.

Allesandra Soler, executive director of Arizona’s American Civil Liberties Union, predicted “rampant racial profiling and prolonged detention for countless Latinos, a majority of whom are U.S. citizens and permanent residents.” Jan Brewer, Arizona Governor, said the ruling “will empower state and local law enforcement, as part of a legal stop or detention, to inquire about an individual’s immigration status when the officer has reasonable suspicion.”