Razing Arizona?

SB 1070, the Arizona immigration bill passed and is in force, almost.  The US Department of Justice filed suit and won a restraining order to stop certain parts of the bill.  Last week, Judge Sharon Bolton ruled that some things like mandatory questioning about immigration status were not legal under the Federal law. She did not go so far as to say that they could not question a person’s status and so there will be a de facto immigration bill in effect.  The State of Arizona and Governor Brewer are filing an appeal with the 9th circuit and the Governor has now proposed a special session to correct the issues in the restraining order.

The argument will be heard in the 9th circuit in the first week of November, the week of the midterm elections.  Politics at its best?  The argument will ultimately go to the US Supreme Court unless Congress addresses Comprehensive Immigration Reform.  And today that does not look likely.  Congress and the Federal government still refuse to take the issue on and to pass some sensible immigration reform.  Senator Harry Reid went so far as to say that the issue is dead for the rest of the year.  Besides, the members of Congress have gone home for the summer recess so that the members can campaign for re-election in November.

But that is not the end of the issue. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a suit and several law enforcement officials are not happy about being caught up in the web.

The question remains unanswered.  Are the political and legal attacks on Arizona raising the standard in Arizona or are they actually Razing Arizona?