U.S. Chamber Asks High Court to Review Constitutionality of Arizona Immigration Law

American businesses overwhelmed by patchwork of immigration laws

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's National Chamber Litigation Center (NCLC) today will urge the U.S. Supreme Court to take up its case challenging the constitutionality of the employment provisions of a controversial Arizona immigration law. The case is Chamber of Commerce, et al. v. Candelaria, et al.

"Employers are being overwhelmed by a tidal wave of conflicting state and local immigration laws," said Robin Conrad, executive vice president of the National Chamber Litigation Center, the U.S. Chamber's public policy law firm. "At least 150 employment-related immigration bills were proposed in just the first quarter of 2009. The Supreme Court needs to step in and make it clear that it's up to the federal government to set national immigration policy."

The challenged Arizona law requires businesses to comply with the federal E-Verify pilot program to electronically verify employees' eligibility to work. Businesses that fail to comply with the program or that "intentionally or knowingly" employ unauthorized workers are subject to heavy sanctions. In its lawsuit, the Chamber argues that federal law prohibits Arizona and other states from making E-Verify use voluntary. The lawsuit has garnered widespread support, with business, labor and civil rights organizations joining in the litigation. Two other cases challenging similar laws are pending in the Third Circuit and the Tenth Circuit.

"The Chamber supports comprehensive immigration reform. What we oppose is a patchwork of state and local laws requiring employers to use a broken system that Congress said must be voluntary," said Conrad. "Federal law prohibits states and municipalities from overriding Congress' judgment that E-Verify be mandatory."

NCLC is the public policy law firm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that advocates fair treatment of business in the courts and before regulatory agencies.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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