Onafivetothreevote,theSupremeCourtknockedoutmuchofArizona’simmigrationlawMonday—amodestpolicyvictoryfortheObamaAdministration.ButonthemoreimportantmatteroftheConstitution,thedecisionwasan8-0defeatfortheAdministration’sefforttoupsetthebalanceofpowerbetweenthefederalgovernmentandthestates.InArizonav.UnitedStates,themajorityoverturnedthreeofthefourcontestedprovisionsofArizona’scontroversialplantohavestateandlocalpoliceenforcefederalimmigrationlaw.TheConstitutionalprinciplesthatWashingtonalonehasthepowerto“establishauniformRuleofNaturalization”andthatfederallawsprecedestatelawsarenoncontroversial.Arizonahadattemptedtofashionstatepoliciesthatranparalleltotheexistingfederalones.JusticeAnthonyKennedy,joinedbyChiefJusticeJohnRobertsandtheCourt’sliberals,ruledthatthestateflewtooclosetothefederalsun.OntheoverturnedprovisionsthemajorityheldthatCongresshaddeliberately“occupiedthefield”andArizonahasthusintrudedonthefederal’sprivilegedpowers.However,theJusticessaidthatArizonapolicewouldbeallowedtoverifythelegalstatusofpeoplewhocomeincontactwithlawenforcement.That’sbecauseCongresshasalwaysenvisionedjointfederal-stateimmigrationenforcementandexplicitlyencouragesstateofficerstoshareinformationandcooperatewithfederalcolleagues.TwoofthethreeobjectingJustices—SamuelAlitoandClarenceThomas—agreedwiththisConstitutionallogicbutdisagreedaboutwhichArizonarulesconflictedwiththefederalstatute.TheonlymajorobjectioncamefromJusticeAntoninScalia,whoofferedanevenmorerobustdefenseofstateprivilegesgoingbacktotheAlienandSeditionActs.The8-0objectiontoPresidentObamaturnsonwhatJusticeSamuelAlitodescribesinhisobjectionas“ashockingassertionoffederalexecutivepower”.TheWhiteHousearguedthatArizona’slawsconflictedwithitsenforcementpriorities,evenifstatelawscompliedwithfederalstatutestotheletter.Ineffect,theWhiteHouseclaimedthatitcouldinvalidateanyotherwiselegitimatestatelawthatitdisagreeswith.Somepowersdobelongexclusivelytothefederalgovernment,andcontrolofcitizenshipandthebordersisamongthem.ButifCongresswantedtopreventstatesfromusingtheirownresourcestocheckimmigrationstatus,itcould.Itneverdidso.TheAdministrationwasinessenceassertingthatbecauseitdidn’twanttocarryoutCongress’simmigrationwishes,nostateshouldbeallowedtodosoeither.EveryJusticerightlyrejectedthisremarkableclaim.36.ThreeprovisionsofArizona’splanwereoverturnedbecausethey_______.[A]oversteppedtheauthorityoffederalimmigrationlaw [B]disturbedthepowerbalancebetweendifferentstates[C]deprivedthefederalpoliceofConstitutionalpowers [D]contradictedboththefederalandstatepolicies37.OnwhichofthefollowingdidtheJusticesagree,accordingtoParagraph4?[A]States’independencefromfederalimmigrationlaw. [B]Federalofficers’dutytowithholdimmigrants’information.[C]States’legitimateroleinimmigrationenforcement.[D]Congress’sinterventioninimmigrationenforcement.38.ItcanbeinferredfromParagraph5thattheAlienandSeditionActs_______.[A]violatedtheConstitution [B]stoodinfavorofthestates[C]supportedthefederalstatute [D]underminedthestates’interests39.TheWhiteHouseclaimsthatitspowerofenforcement_______.[A]outweighsthatheldbythestates [B]isestablishedbyfederalstatutes[C]isdependentonthestates’support [D]rarelygoesagainststatelaws40.Whatcanbelearnedfromthelastparagraph?[A]ImmigrationissuesareusuallydecidedbyCongress.[B]TheAdministrationisdominantoverimmigrationissues.[C]JusticeswantedtostrengthenitscoordinationwithCongress.[D]JusticesintendedtocheckthepoweroftheAdministration.
