By Curtis Prendergast
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One of the biggest news stories in Arizona in 2010 was the passage of SB 1070 by the Arizona Legislature. As soon as the law was signed by Gov. Brewer on April 23, local governments and activist groups announced that they planned to file lawsuits against SB 1070. The Chronicle gathered articles published during April 2010 by the Arizona Daily Star, the Arizona Republic, and the Nogales International that covered the lawsuits filed against SB 1070.
News coverage of SB 1070 lawsuits in April 2010 began with an Associated Press report in the Arizona Daily Star, Obama calls Ariz. immigration bill ‘misguided,’ vows review, in which President Obama criticized the law and called for the Department of Justice to review the law. That same day, the Arizona Republic ran an editorial, Arizona immigration law: History, background, that was one of the few articles to provide a historical context to the law.
On April 23 the Republic ran Arizona immigration bill: Mayor Gordon says Phoenix may sue, about the mayor of Phoenix considering suing the state of Arizona for passing SB 1070, which he described as unconstitutional and unenforceable. On April 27, the Republic ran Mayor Gordon backs off vote to sue Arizona over immigration, in which the mayor admitted that he didn’t have enough support from the City Council to file a lawsuit. Also on April 27, the Republic ran Flagstaff joins Phoenix in reviewing immigration legal options, about the Flagstaff City Council considering its own lawsuit against SB 1070. On April 28, the Republic ran Arizona immigration law: Mayor Gordon still pushing lawsuit, about the mayor deciding to pursue a lawsuit even without the support of the City Council.
On April 25 the Republic ran Court fight looms on new immigration law, about the fight over SB 1070 shifting from the Legislature to the courtroom. The article provided legal analysis from both sides of the debate. On April 28, the Republic reported in Arizona immigration law: Clergy group to file lawsuit, that the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders planned to file a lawsuit against SB 1070.
The Star reported on April 29 in Tucson cop first to sue to block AZ immigration law, that a Tucson police officer filed the first lawsuit against SB 1070. The report said that the police officer claimed that SB 1070 would make it more difficult to investigate crime in “Hispanic-prevalent areas.” The Star also ran a report, 2 lawsuits challenge Arizona’s immigration law, by Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services, about the Latino clergy organization filing their lawsuit against SB 1070.
On April 30, the Nogales International ran Immigration law exposes county to lawsuit blitz about the Santa Cruz County Attorney saying that SB 1070 could raise the insurance premiums the county pays for protection against lawsuits.
Also on April 30, the Republic ran Arizona immigration law hit with its first 3 lawsuits, about a Phoenix police officer filing the third lawsuit against SB 1070.
News coverage in April 2010 of lawsuits against SB 1070 concluded with the Star running a report, US lawyers look at AZ’s immigration law, about the coming lawsuit from the federal government.
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Below are the stories dealing with SB 1070 lawsuits in chronological order:
Arizona Daily Star (AP): Obama calls Ariz. immigration bill ‘misguided,’ vows review (April 23, 2010)
“PHOENIX – President Barack Obama called an Arizona immigration bill “misguided” Friday and said it could violate people’s civil rights, intensifying pressure on the state’s Republican governor to veto the nation’s toughest legislation against illegal immigration.”
Arizona Republic (Editorial): Arizona immigration law: History, background (April 23, 2010)
“Arizona has about 460,000 undocumented immigrants, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Currently, immigration offenses are violations of federal law, something most local law-enforcement agencies cannot enforce.”
Arizona Republic: Arizona immigration bill: Mayor Gordon says Phoenix may sue (April 23, 2010)
“Thrusting Arizona’s largest city into the immigration debate, Mayor Phil Gordon on Friday said Phoenix may file a lawsuit to halt the toughest law in the nation targeting illegal immigration.”
Arizona Republic: Court fight looms on new immigration law (April 25, 2010)
“With Arizona’s controversial immigration-enforcement bill now law, the battle will quickly shift from the state Capitol to the courts, where opponents plan to challenge it as an unconstitutional intrusion on federal authority and a violation of civil rights.”
Arizona Republic: Mayor Gordon backs off vote to sue Arizona over immigration (April 27, 2010)
“Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon on Tuesday conceded he didn’t have enough City Council support to mount a legal challenge to the new Arizona immigration law but said the city charter gave him the authority to sue the state on behalf of the city. And later Tuesday evening, the Flagstaff City Council also was expected to discuss filing a lawsuit to block the law.”
Arizona Republic: Flagstaff joins Phoenix in reviewing immigration legal options (April 27, 2010)
“As Phoenix and other cities examine the impact of Senate Bill 1070 on budget-stressed local police departments, the Flagstaff City Council will discuss the city’s legal options to defend itself against the new law.”
Arizona Republic: Arizona immigration law: Mayor Gordon still pushing lawsuit (April 28, 2010)
“Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said Tuesday he will bypass the City Council and invoke a section of the city charter that gives him the power to sue the state in an effort to block Arizona’s new immigration law.”
Arizona Republic (AP): Arizona immigration law: Clergy group to file lawsuit (April 28, 2010)
“PHOENIX – A Latino clergy group says it will file the first lawsuit challenging Arizona’s tough new law targeting illegal immigration. The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders plans to file the suit Thursday in federal court in Phoenix.”
Arizona Daily Star: Tucson cop first to sue to block AZ immigration law (April 29, 2010)
“A Tucson police officer has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Arizona’s new immigration law, claiming the legislation will hinder police investigations in Hispanic-prevalent areas.”
Arizona Daily Star (Capitol Media Services): 2 lawsuits challenge Arizona’s immigration law (April 29, 2010)
“PHOENIX – The first two challenges to Arizona’s new law aimed at illegal immigrants were filed Thursday. Attorneys for the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders charged in U.S. District Court in Phoenix that the measure, signed less than a week earlier by Gov. Jan Brewer, illegally puts the state in the business of enforcing federal immigration laws.”
Nogales International: Immigration law exposes county to lawsuit blitz (April 30, 2010)
“A provision in Arizona’s new immigration law that allows people to sue local agencies for not vigorously enforcing the measure could cost the county – and its taxpayers – big bucks, says County Attorney George Silva. The county currently pays an insurance pool to cover it against lawsuits, Silva says. But a flurry of suits against the Sheriff’s Office or the County Attorney’s Office could drive up the cost of that insurance – or cause the county to lose its coverage altogether.”
Arizona Republic: Arizona immigration law hit with its first 3 lawsuits (April 30, 2010)
“As protests to Arizona’s new illegal-immigration law continued Thursday – spurred on by the attendance of music stars Shakira and Linda Ronstadt – the first three lawsuits challenging the law’s constitutionality were filed in federal court. Other groups promised their legal challenges would not be far behind.”
Arizona Daily Star: US lawyers look at AZ’s immigration law (April 30, 2010)
“WASHINGTON – A team of top government lawyers has quietly begun studying legal strategies for the Obama administration to mount a challenge to Arizona’s new illegal immigration law, including the filing of a federal lawsuit against the state or joining a suit brought by others who believe the bill unfairly targets Latinos.”
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Posted on April 1, 2011 by cachocurt
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