Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction Against Arizona Immigration Statute
Some articles I’ve read this morning suggest that in view of Judge Bolton’s decision, the states which had been thinking about immigration laws similar to those in Arizona can’t or won’t enact them. That is not necessary accurate. Judge Bolton is only a district court judge; her rulings have no significant weight as precedent outside her district.
I think all states outside her district — and that’s most of them — should continue the march and enact similar laws if they want to do so. Judge Bolton found the section ending with the sentence “Any person who is arrested shall have the person’s immigration status determined before the person is released” confusing. Her confusion struck me as silly at best, but the section could easily be revised very slightly so that even she could find no ambiguity.
