SD Supports Arizona Immigration Law
Local News
by
Adam Uhernik
last edited on
Friday, July 16, 2010
South Dakota joins the fight over state's immigration authority, supporting Arizona.
Governor Rounds says he feels states should be allowed to enforce federal immigration law. Now that a federal lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the federal government, South Dakota is one of several states stepping up.
The federal government is challenging Arizona's immigration law, saying immigration is a federal issue, but South Dakota's leaders say it should be up to the states to enforce existing federal immigration law.
SD Attorney General Marty Jackley says, "There are public safety issues associated with Immigration Enforcement and it's important we have state and federal partners when it comes to law enforcement. We enjoy that in South Dakota."
The Arizona law requires police to question people during the enforcement of other laws, such as traffic stops, to determine if they might be illegal aliens. But some are calling this a form racial profiling.
"Really this is a matter of a state trying to enforce what Congress has said the law is, where an attorney general has selectively chosen not to. So we don't feel there's any racial profiling" says Jackley
Now South Dakota will join several other states in legal action, but as a friend of a court, not as a defendant. Therefore it's assumed the South Dakota will not be responsible for any costs associated with this merely supportive role.
Marty Jackley also said, "It's important to be involved for public safety reasons because we want to continue to play a role in immigration enforcement even though it's a smaller role because of the federal responsibilities."
The last main rival in the Arizona governor's race suspended his campaign today, likely clearing the way for a GOP primary win for republican governor Jan Brewer, whose popularity has risen sharply following her signing of the state's tough new immigration law.