Legal Heavyweights Speak About Arizona Immigration Legislation

It is no question that the recently passed Arizona legislation regarding the treatment of illegal immigrants in that state will end up on the US Supreme Court’s docket before long.  In a posting today, The Am Law Daily spoke with several Arizona attorneys from some of Phoenix’s most prestigious law firms to sound out their opinions on another Arizona law affecting immigration policy that is now before the highest court in the nation.  The current challenge before the Court is to a law that punishes employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Most notably, AmLaw spoke with John Bouma of Snell & Wilmer, Rodolfo “Rudy” Parga, Jr., managing partner of Ryley Carlock & Applewhite, and Tim Berg, the managing partner of Fennemore Craig.

Each attorney interviewed, while acknowledging Arizona’s multi-cultural traditions and their importance, seemed to agree that the current Supreme Court case would be a difficult one to decide.  The legislation at bar in that case, according to those interviewed, seeks to rightfully enforce laws regarding illegal workers and those who employ them, but could, if upheld, having a lasting negative impact on Arizona’s economy and culture.  All agree that some sort of balance between the two should be reached.