Brewer, Arpaio Declare Victory After SCOTUS Defeat

The Supreme Court handed Arizona’s anti-immigration forces a defeat on Monday. They took it well.

“Today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is a victory for the rule of law. It is also a victory for the 10th Amendment and all Americans who believe in the inherent right and responsibility of states to defend their citizens,” Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, said in a ement.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio agreed. “I think this is a good section that’s been upheld,” Arpaio told KNXV-TV. “I would have liked to see where we would have the authority to arrest illegal aliens just by being here illegally and book them into our jails, but that’s not going to happen. But I think this sends a message that we will be involved in enforcing the illegal alien laws and our police officers will be able to at least try to determine if they’re in this country illegally.”

The statements appeared to be an exercise in spin. The Supreme Court struck down three of four provisions in S.B. 1070, Arizona’s radical and ultimately unconstitutional immigration law. The one part of the law that was upheld remained on shaky ground.While the court did uphold the ability of police to check immigration status after arrest, it did not rule on whether such checks were constitutional. Jessica Pieklo of Care2 said that the ruling “left open the door for future challenges to the law and gave potential future plaintiffs hope their complaints would receive a fair hearing by at least five of the sitting justices.”

Georgetown Law Professor David Cole agreed. In an interview with CNN, he said, “This is almost a total victory for the Obama administration.”

Nevertheless, Brewer and Arpaio had little choice but to claim their defeat was a win. Both have placed opposition to immigration at the center of their political careers. To admit defeat now would be tantamount to admitting that they were wrong the whole time.

Anti-Immigrant Bills Faltering, Even in Arizona

Alabama Immigration Law Upheld, Supreme Court Intervention Likely

Image Credit: Donkey Hotey

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Michael C.

10:16AM PDT on Jul 10, 2012

I have come to think that gov. Janet Brewer and sheriff Arpaio should marry, chances are...with that much evil in one place at a single moment in time, it should allow for them to self-destruct.

I am currently "living" in Arizona, The Dry State...one that is quickly becoming to be known as The Dry Hate State.

Sometimes I dream of collecting up those two and dropping them across the border in Mexico, I will let you know about the outcome.

July 10
send a green star

Diane L.

6:14AM PDT on Jul 6, 2012

I have no clue, Lee. Yes, weird stuff. It did how up in my IN BOX and that's where I read comments, and then click into the discussion to comment, myself, if I have anything to say. I didn't see it in here and was going to send you a GREEN STAR for it. Didn't see it here, but seems others read it because they replied to it. Anyway, like I said, I agree with everything you said in it.

July 6
send a green star

3:45AM PDT on Jul 6, 2012

"Diane L is only upset that you're talking about the topic, not about her"......who's upset, Beth? I'm not. Apparently you must be,or why would you come back into this discussion without yet posting anything on the topic, just to hurl another insult my way?

Lee, I agree with your last comment, completely. For some reason, it's showing up in my Care.2's IN BOX, but not here in the discussion. I'm referring to the one about we "liberals" standing united on many issues, and that we probably all DO agree about illegals, and whether we agree about Sheriff Joe or not is something else. You think he's despicable. That's clear. You are entitled to believe that way, and I don't think I ever suggested otherwise. I sure do agree about the military service thing as being a reason to grant citizenship or exceptions to deportation, and I also agree with Obama's decision about children of illegals being granted exceptions under certain conditions as well..

MD L.

9:13PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

Kevin, ah, ok, lol, well I have no negative stereotypes of college professors to dispel (though conservatives seem to hate them often enough). Oh well.

Lee, yes indeed I agree military service should earn citizenship. Mostly, I just don't want to see illegals used as scapegoats for the economic damage caused by rich corporate "citizens", or see Latino people constantly asked to prove their citizenship.

July 4
send a green star

1:57PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

Diane L is only upset that you're talking about the topic, not about her.

Kevin B.

1:53PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

MD L. said "Ah Kevin, didn't know you were an attorney, I'll have to revise the perhaps too negative stereotypes I have of that profession. :-)"

Well the truth be told I am more of an ex-lawyer. I am still licensed to practice but I left the profession and became a college professor some years ago. Unfortuntely the "negative stereotypes" you speak of are too often true of the profession.

1:42PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

"1) We here in the US are NOT required to carry proofs of citizenship and/or identity;

2) We are NOT required to produce such on demand;"

And I am thankful for that! Ah Kevin, didn't know you were an attorney, I'll have to revise the perhaps too negative stereotypes I have of that profession. :-)

Anyway glad SCOTUS struck down some parts of that awful bill.

5:18AM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

Give it up, LD B. My valuable time is being spent "elsewhere" and BTW, I'm retired.

Continue on, children. Notice you 3 are the only ones left chatting with yourselves?