Obama under pressure over immigration reform

MARK COLVIN: Just a day before a controversial new immigration law was to take effect in Arizona, a judge has put most of the crackdown on hold.

There have been mass demonstrations against the new law which is aimed at discouraging illegal immigrants from entering or remaining in Arizona. Key portions of it have now been blocked, but a long legal fight is still brewing over whether a US state can impose an immigration crackdown.

The federal government considers that's its responsibility.

North America correspondent Kim Landers reports.

CHANTING: Hey, hey, Obama, don't deport my mama!

KIM LANDERS: About 200 people rallied outside the White House today calling for president Barack Obama to push for comprehensive immigration reform.

NASTOR: The kids are the ones who are suffering. The kids are the ones that are suffering the separation of families and they want to be united and that's not fair.

JAMIE: I'm so worried that there are a lot of innocent families still being separated by our broken immigration system, whose only crime really is to risk their lives and the lives of their children to give their families a better life.

KIM LANDERS: There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

The national debate on immigration has been revived by a controversial law in Arizona, aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants.

Today US District Court judge Susan Bolton has blocked some of the most important parts of that law just hours before it was to come into effect.


Out for now is the requirement for police to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws, a provision making it a crime to fail to carry proper immigration papers and a ban on undocumented workers soliciting employment.

There are an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants living in Arizona. Sharing a border with Mexico, Arizona claims to be the busiest gateway into the country for illegal immigrants.

Republican governor Jan Brewer says America's immigration system is broken and the federal government isn't enforcing its own laws so her state had to go it alone.

She calls today's ruling a bump in the road and warns there's a long legal fight ahead.

JAN BREWER: This is an injunction. They haven't heard really the merits of the bill. This is just an injunction, a temporary injunction. And our legal team and I'm sure the United States of America's legal team will be looking at some of the issues that they're concerned about and we'll be looking at the issues that we're concerned about and we'll start down that process.

KIM LANDERS: Clarissa Martinez is from La Raza, the largest national Hispanic civil rights organisation in the United States.

CLARISSA MARTINEZ: We take encouragement from the decision of today but clearly we understand that the fight needs to continue.

KIM LANDERS: Opponents to the law had argued it'd lead to racial profiling and distract local police from fighting more serious crimes.

In part of her ruling, the judge said if Arizona was to press ahead with the controversial sections of the law, it would interfere with federal policy.

She also said "there is a substantial likelihood that officers will wrongfully arrest legal resident aliens under the law".

Arizona is already considering an appeal and this case may go all the way to the US Supreme Court.

Paul Rothstein is a professor of law at Georgetown University in Washington.

PAUL ROTHSTEIN: There are several more stages to play out. First of all, this judge didn't rule permanently, she just temporarily put these provisions on hold while she considers the merits. So when she considers it in some more detail later on, she could change her mind, although probably not likely.

After that, whoever ultimately loses can take it up on appeal to the higher courts and I think the Supreme Court probably will ultimately get this case, because it's important enough that the Supreme Court will weigh in on these issues.

KIM LANDERS: Even though the most controversial parts of this law have been put on hold, there's already been an exodus of immigrants from Arizona.

This is Kim Landers in Washington for PM.