Dean Erwin Chemerinsky

In major Supreme Court cases, it’s useful to have a scorecard. And that’s just what Erwin Chemerinsky provides in regard to SB1070.

Arizona’s own criminal–immigration law hybrid is examined by the UC-Irvine law dean in the ABA Journal. And his insights get right to the heart of the case being watched carefully by legal scholars, lawyers, politicians and even police departments. What do you think SCOTUS will do with the case? Let me know your thoughts at arizona.attorney@azbar.org.

You may recall that we published a Q&A with Dean Chemerinsky in our February Arizona Attorney Magazine. As he told us then, “So often discussions of federalism have focused on the scope of Congress’s power. But federalism also is about the extent to which federal law preempts state law. Arizona’s immigration laws, include SB 1070, focus attention on this.” (Our Q&A preceded his delivery of the annual ASU John Frank Lecture.)

In the ABA Journal, Chemerinsky examines some of the disagreements between the parties, which includes the State of Arizona:

“It is striking that the briefs of Arizona and the United States disagree about everything that is before the court. First, the two sides disagree as to the context in which the court should approach the case. Arizona begins its brief with a long section on “illegal immigration’s disproportionate impact on Arizona.” It spends the first seven pages of its brief describing the effect of illegal immigration on Arizona in terms of crime, government benefits and employment.

“By contrast, the brief for the United States begins with a long section describing “the comprehensive federal immigration framework.” The United States brief begins with almost eight pages describing the detailed system of federal immigration regulation.

“This difference is not coincidental. Arizona wants the justices to see this case from the perspective of a state dealing with a serious problem and acting to protect itself and its citizens. The United States wants the justices to view this matter as involving an area which is traditionally and inherently under the control of the federal government.

“Second—and surprisingly—the two sides disagree about the standard the court should use when deciding whether federal law pre-empts state law. Arizona repeatedly states that in the absence of an express preemption provision in a federal law, a state law is preempted only if there is a conflict between federal and state law. Its brief states: “The bottom line is that there is no preemption unless state law conflicts with some identifiable federal statute.” Arizona argues that there is no conflict between SB 1070 and federal law; its primary argument is that SB 1070 is using the resources of state and local law police to supplement and enhance federal efforts.

“The United States, though, says that a conflict between federal law and state law is not required for preemption; there is preemption if a state or local government interferes with achieving a federal objective. It sees Arizona’s law as doing this. The United States contends that inevitably decisions about immigration enforcement implicate issues of foreign policy and that is in the sole domain of the national government. The United States relies heavily on the Supreme Court’s 1942 decision, Hines v. Davidowitz, which said that immigration enforcement necessarily implicates “important and delicate” considerations of foreign policy and that therefore states cannot “contradict” or “complement” federal immigration efforts.”

Keep reading here.

Introduction to our Q&A, Arizona Attorney Magazine, February 2012