Law & Legal

This is the text of Senate Bill 1070, as it was passed by the House and Senate and signed by the governor on April 23, 2010. Portions of this bill were changed by House Bill 2162, and portions were overturned by the U.S. District Court and may not become law.

House Bill 2162 changed portions of SB 1070. It was signed by the governor on April 30, 2010.

The federal government challenged Arizona's new law in court. Judge Susan Bolton of the U.S. District Court in Arizona overturned parts of the law.

This analysis is published by the National Council of State Legislatures, a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, commonwealths, and territories. NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues.

ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity that has no government affiliations of any kind. Its purpose is to provide resources for critical thinking and to educate without bias. The researchers do not express opinions on their research projects.

Information on border security, terrorism, and all aspects of homeland security. Immigration infromation includes employment eligibility, becoming a citizen, visiting the U.S., immigration forms, and statistics.

DHS publications include fact sheets, annual reports, working papers, special projects, and the annual Yearbook of Immigration Statistics,

ICE is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Created in 2003 through a merger of the investigative and interior enforcement elements of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ICE now has more than 20,000 employees in all 50 states and 47 foreign countries.

Green cards, employment, adoption, citizenship, and other issues are handled by USCIS, part of the Department of Homeland Security.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review administers the nation's immigration court system. EOIR primarily decides whether foreign-born individuals, who are charged by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with violating immigration law, should be ordered removed from the United States or should be granted relief or protection from removal and be permitted to remain in this country.

The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) is the highest administrative body for interpreting and applying immigration laws. The BIA does not conduct courtroom proceedings; it decides appeals by conducting a "paper review" of cases. On rare occasions, however, the BIA hears oral arguments of appealed cases.

The State Department issues passports and travel visas, maintains embassies and consulates throughout the world, and provides information for Americans visiting foreign countries.