Holder Slams Arizona’s S.B. 1070

Attorney General Eric Holder issued a scathing statement today, condemning the Supreme Court’s ruling on Arizona’s S.B. 1070, a law that effectively criminalizes unlawful status in the state.

Holder welcomed the Court’s decision to strike down major provisions of the law on federal preemption grounds, but expressed concerns about the impact of Section 2, which requires law enforcement officials to verify the immigration status of any person lawfully stopped or detained when they have reason to suspect that the person is here unlawfully.

“While I am pleased the Court confirmed the serious constitutional questions the government raised regarding Section 2, I remain concerned about the impact of Section 2,” Holder said. “As the Court itself recognized, Section 2 is not a license to engage in racial profiling.”

Holder assured communities across the country that the federal government would continue to vigorously enforce federal prohibitions against racial and ethnic discrimination. “We will closely monitor the impact of S.B. 1070 to ensure compliance with federal immigration law and with applicable civil rights laws,” he said.

Holder also warned that the verification provision could divert police officers away from traditional law enforcement efforts, potentially impairing local policing efforts and discouraging crime victims, including children of non-citizens, victims of domestic violence, and asylum seekers, from reporting abuses and crimes out of fear of detention or deportation.

“We will continue to use every federal resource to protect the safety and civil rights of all Americans,” Holder vowed.

In a stern rebuke, Holder urged Arizona to respect the federal government’s exclusive authority to regulate immigration, saying that S.B. 1070 was a misguided attempt to supplant federal law.