Va., Eight Other States Legally Side with Arizona on Immigration

As the country continues to debate the political wisdom of the federal lawsuit against SB1070, Virginia has filed an amicus brief siding with Arizona. Rosalind Helderman, of the Washington Post, has the full story here..

Virginia is formally siding with Arizona against the federal government on immigration, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli announced today.

Cuccinelli said the state has joined eight others in filing an amicus brief supporting Arizona's immigration laws. The federal government has sued Arizona over the law, arguing that the state has overreached its authority because immigration is regulated by federal law. Other states that also signed the brief are Michigan, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Nebraska and South Dakota. The effort is being led by the attorney general of Michigan.

Meanwhile...

In Arizona, the state is preparing to defend against of the first law suit filed by a Phoenix police officer.   Jaques Billeaud of the Associated Press has the full story here:

A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday over whether Arizona's new immigration law should take effect later this month, marking the first major hearing in one of seven challenges to the strict law.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton also will consider arguments over Gov. Jan Brewer's request to dismiss the challenge filed by Phoenix police Officer David Salgado and the statewide nonprofit group Chicanos Por La Causa.

The judge said last week she wasn't making any promises on whether she will rule on the officer's request to block enforcement of the law before it takes effect July 29.