Reports: Justice to challenge Ariz. law

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Reports: Justice to challenge Ariz. law
WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- The Obama administration will challenge Arizona's immigration law in court, White House officials confirmed to media outlets Friday.

The confirmation came after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in an interview with an Ecuadorian television station this month the administration would challenge the law. Other administration officials, however, said the issue was under review, Fox News Channel reported.

Administration officials at first didn't confirm Clinton's statement, but an official told Fox News that while the review continues, the decision has been made that a Department of Justice suit would be filed.

A senior administration official told CBS News the federal government would formally challenge the law when Justice Department lawyers finish building the case.

Despite the senior administration official's comments, a Justice Department official told CBS the question of whether to sue remains under consideration.

The Arizona law, which goes into effect July 29, requires, among other things, that law enforcement personnel ask for documentation from people they believe are in the country illegally.

"What a disappointment," Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer told Fox News.

"We are not going to back away from this issue. We are going to pursue it, we're going to be very aggressive. We'll meet them in court ... and we will win."

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard won't be in that courtroom representing the state. He announced on his Web site Friday he has sent a letter to Brewer notifying her he will withdraw as state's counsel when it comes to defending the immigration law.

Goddard said his decision was made primarily because the governor sent him a letter four days earlier "that made clear her unwillingness to work cooperatively" with his office on the issue.

"It is unfortunate that you have chosen to reject that cooperative effort and seek to score partisan political points by threatening to challenge my authority as attorney general to defend our state in court," Goddard wrote.

"I am acting today to avoid a costly and highly disruptive legal showdown despite my belief that I would prevail in such a contest."

The Arizona Republic reported Brewer sees Goddard's previously stated opposition to the immigration bill as a conflict of interest and has already hired outside counsel to defend her in other suits challenging the law. She is named as a defendant in four of the five cases.

Brewer's office said Friday she was "pleased" Goddard was stepping aside, the newspaper reported.

Brewer, a Republican seeking her first full term, faces challengers in the GOP primary this summer, while Goddard is running for governor unopposed in the Democratic primary.
 
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