Arizona's Senate Bill 1070: Understanding the Judicial Process, Constitutionality, Future and Effects of the Law

Abstract

After the passage of Arizona's Senate Bill 1070 back in 2010 Arizona has been under scrutiny due to the controversial anti-immigration law. In 2012 the Supreme Court struck down most of the provisions of the "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act" or commonly known as S.B. 1070, however the Supreme Court upheld the most controversial provision, Section 2 (B). This paper discusses the judicial process S.B. 1070 underwent since it was passed in 2010 up to the 2012 Supreme Court decision and also discusses the constitutionality issue of the law. This helps us understand how courts look at cases and what we are likely to see in the future if this law is challenged or if more S.B. 1070 copycat laws are passed like in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and other states. Lastly, the influence the law had on other states as well as the economic toll the bill had in Arizona and other states who adopted similar legislations is also discussed. It is difficult to predict if S.B. 1070 will ever be overturned, but we do know that this controversial anti-immigration law, S.B. 1070, adds to the negative perception and economic deficit of the state.