Federal judge takes the teeth out of Arizona's anti-immigrant law

Today, July 29, Arizona's anti-immigrant SB 1070 legislation takes effect.

However, in a last-minute ruling yesterday, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton blocked some of the more draconian provisions.

Judge Bolton blocked a section requiring police officers to question and verify the immigration status of anyone "reasonably" suspected of being an illegal alien. She also blocked a section requiring immigrants to carry their papers at all times.

The ruling is in response to lawsuits by the U.S. Justice Department and a coalition of civil rights groups including the ACLU, the National Immigration Law Center, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and the NAACP.

As a human rights advocate, I deal with injustices every day. It's nice to see occasional examples like this where rights and humanity manage to trump bigotry and fear.

Hopefully this will cause other states to think twice about passing any copycat legislation.

On the downside, proponents of the law say they will appeal. So stay tuned.