THE NEWS DESK
The News Desk is a collection of news, notes and breaking items affecting the Fredericksburg community.
Court ruling likely to have effect in other states, but not in Virginia
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
The Supreme Court ruling overturning key provisions of Arizona’s illegal-immigration law opens the door for courts to strike down similar measures in states that have tried to make it a crime for illegal immigrants to live and work in the U.S.
But it shouldn’t have much effect in Virginia, according to Claire Gastañaga, the state director of the ACLU.
Gastañaga said the court’s decision will have “no direct impact on Virginia law” because the state isn’t doing the things Arizona was trying to do with its law.
Virginia lawmakers initiated a State Crime Commission study in 2007 to figure out what laws the state could pass regarding illegal immigration that wouldn’t conflict with federal law.
They found federal law pre-empted their efforts to push for state restrictions in many areas. But the study did lead to the state law requiring law enforcement to check the immigration status of people arrested.
The court did not overturn the “show me your papers” portion of Arizona’s law, which allows police to ask about a person’s citizenship status when they’ve stopped, detained or arrested that person.
