US supreme court takes up Arizona immigration law

The Supreme Court is questioning border state Arizona's tough "show me your papers" law aimed at driving illegal immigrants out of the state, amid objections from the Obama administration that states have a limited role to play in immigration policy, according to AP. The court's review of the Arizona law includes a provision that requires police, while enforcing other laws, to question a person's immigration status if officers suspect he is in the U.S. illegally. In the final argument of the court's term Wednesday, the justices will explore whether lower federal courts were right to block that and other key provisions. The court hearing comes as presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney is trying to find a way to cut President Barack Obama's strong support among Latino voters. Romney was drawn to the right on issues like immigration as he fought off other Republicans in state Republican primary elections.(backslash) On Monday, Romney signaled he was considering a wide range of immigration policies, including a proposal from Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican and son of Cuban immigrants, that would allow some of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants a chance at visas to stay in the U.S. A decision in the high-profile immigration case is expected in late June as both camps will be gearing up for the general election. The administration challenged the law in federal court soon after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed it two years ago. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah passed similar laws, parts of which also are on hold pending the high court's decision. Other blocked provisions of the Arizona law require all immigrants to obtain or carry immigration registration papers, make it a state criminal offense for an illegal immigrant to seek work or hold a job and allow police to arrest suspected illegal immigrants without warrants. Arizona argues that with its 370-mile (595-kilometer) border with Mexico, it has paid a disproportionate price for illegal immigration. It says its 2010 law is consistent with federal immigration policy.