Rep. Becerra on Supreme Court's Ruling on Anti-Immigrant Arizona Law SB 1070

Statement

Today, after the United States Supreme Court struck down key provisions of Arizona's anti-immigrant law SB 1070, Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and Member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, released the following statement:

"Today the Supreme Court reaffirmed what the Constitution makes clear: it is Congress which has the authority to set our national immigration policy. By striking down three of the four most harmful provisions at issue in the case, the Court sent a clear message that a patchwork of conflicting immigration laws across the nation just won't cut it.

Even though the Court did not strike down the "show me your papers" provision of the law, it issued a strong warning to not abuse the authority to check the immigration status of individuals suspected of being undocumented. This provision of the law is an invitation for the worst kind of discrimination and racial profiling to befall hardworking immigrant families and communities.

The Court's ruling is a timely reminder to Congress that it has a job to do: it must act on comprehensive immigration reform. It also affirms President Obama's recent decision to remove the threat of deportation from thousands of young people who came to this country through no fault of their own. We all have a role to play to ensure that the American values of justice and fairness are manifest in our nation's immigration laws."

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