Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of 2007 Arizona Immigration Law

U.S. Chamber’s Lawsuit Argues American Businesses Are Overwhelmed by Immigration Patchwork

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s case challenging the constitutionality of a controversial Arizona immigration law that imposes harsh sanctions on businesses. The case is Chamber of Commerce, et al. v. Candelaria, et al.

“We applaud the Court’s decision to decide what role the states may play in regulating immigration,” said Robin Conrad, executive vice president of the National Chamber Litigation Center (NCLC), the U.S. Chamber’s public policy law firm. “Businesses from Main Street to Wall Street are overwhelmed by the cacophony of conflicting state and local immigration legislation. The Supreme Court now has the opportunity to provide some much-needed clarity for businesses.”

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 revocation of business licenses. In its lawsuit, the Chamber argues that federal law preempts the Legal Arizona Workers Act of 2007. In May, the Obama Administration urged the Supreme Court to hear the case, but only as to the first of three issues the Chamber presented to the Court. Today, the Supreme Court agreed to hear all three issues presented by the Chamber.

“Our lawsuit has garnered widespread support with business, labor, and civil rights organizations joining in the litigation,” said Conrad. “There is broad consensus that the growing patchwork of state and local immigration laws is a serious obstacle to comprehensive immigration reform.”

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 of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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