Governor Revises Controversial Bill

Will outrage over Arizona's harsh new immigration law be quelled with a few tweaks? In response to widespread protests over the bill, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed a follow-on bill Friday aimed at preventing racial profiling in the law’s implementation. “These new statements make it crystal clear and undeniable that racial profiling is illegal, and will not be tolerated in Arizona,” the governor said. The changes include a stipulation that a person’s immigration-status can come into question only in connection with an unrelated arrest (while the original law referred simply to “contact” with police) and a provision clarifying that possible breaches of local civil ordinances can lead to questioning about immigration status. In spite of the new rules, lawsuits contesting the legislation are expected to continue as planned, citing an unconstitutional attempt for a state to regulate an issue that is a federal concern.