U.S.: Immigration 'exclusively' federal

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U.S.: Immigration 'exclusively' federal
PHOENIX, A lawyer for the U.S. government told a federal judge in Phoenix immigration regulation is "unquestionably, exclusively, a federal power."

Edwin S. Kneedler argued on behalf of the U.S. position Thursday as federal judge Susan Bolton questioned lawyers for both sides during the first day of a trial in which Arizona is defending its new immigration law, scheduled to take effect next week.

While lawyers argued the case, an estimated 200 protesters outside the Sandra Day O'Connor Federal Courthouse blocked traffic and chanted. Police arrested seven protesters for blocking an intersection, The Arizona Republic reported.

Lawyers for the Obama administration urged Bolton to strike down the Arizona law as an unconstitutional violation of the federal government's supremacy over state law, The New York Times reported.

"The regulation of immigration is unquestionably, exclusively, a federal power," Kneedler argued.

John J. Bouma, representing the state of Arizona, argued the state has a legitimate right to contact federal authorities to check on the immigration status of people detained for reasonable cause.

Bolton's questions and comments suggested she might eventually rule on certain sections of the law but not strike down the entire measure, the Times said.

Bolton said the U.S. Supreme Court has a long history of banning states from establishing immigration registration systems separate from the federal government, the Los Angeles Times reported. Critics of the law say it will promote racial profiling while supporters said it is meant only to enforce federal law.

"What we're facing here is an attempt by a state to create an interrelated system of immigration laws that displace the federal" statutes, ACLU attorney Omar Jadwat said at hearing Thursday, before the court took up the Obama administration case.
 
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