The ongoing controversy around Arizona's controversial immigration law culminated today in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling handed down this morning. In the 5-3 decision, justices upheld what is widely believed to be the main thrust of the law, a provision that Arizona law enforcement officers are required to stop and detain anyone they have a "reasonable suspicion" is in the country without legal authorization.
However, the court struck down other key parts of the law, including one that criminalized immigrants' failure to carry authorizing documents with them at all times. According to the justices, the federal government has the final say-so on immigration matters.
Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony Kennedy, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor joined the majority opinion. Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito concurred in part and dissented in part. Justice Elena Kagan, who served as solicitor general under President Barack Obama, recused herself from the case.
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