CBNNews.com - Lawsuit Filed Over AZ Immigration Law

by CBNNews.com

Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants is being challenged by the federal government, just weeks before it's set to go into affect.

Justice Department officials announced, Tuesday, a law suit will be filed over the constitutionality of the Arizona law that permits police officers to question any person they feel is in the state illegally.

The Obama administration says the law oversteps federal authority.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) told CBN News that argument might not hold up in court.

"President Obama has admitted that the federal government has failed. And when the federal government fails to act and do it's job the constitution is clear in the tenth amendment there are power reserved to the states. That's part one," said ACLJ director of international operations Jordan Sekulow. "Part two -- Arizona is not trying to enforce immigration. They're not saying you can come into the country and you can't come into the country. What they're saying is to employment, employers, to those who are here illegally, if we know that you are here illegally, we're going to do something about it because Immigration and Customs Enforcement office... has said that they don't have the time to handle every single immigration issue that comes about."

"So when the federal government admits they can't do their job... that opens the door for states like Arizona to say... half of the crime in Maricopa County is committed by illegal immigrants," he continued. "We're going to take charge. We're going to do something about it."

The lawsuit could delay enforcement of the Arizona law.