The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decided today to uphold a preliminary injunction against Arizona’s anti-immigrant legislation, SB 1070. The court denied the state’s appeal of a federal district court’s July decision that prevented segments of the law from going into effect due to U.S. Constitutional violations. 

One of the most controversial provision of SB 1070 requires state and local police to ask for proof of immigration status from every individual stopped for a traffic violation or other civil infraction if they have a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that the person is in the U.S. in violation of the immigration law.  The Ninth Circuit decision confirms the notion that the federal government has the exclusive power to regulate and enforce immigration laws.