PHOENIX — A federal judge did not rule on whether to block Arizona’s new immigration law yesterday after two hours of testimony, in the first major hearing in one of seven challenges to the strict crackdown.
The Phoenix police officer who filed the lawsuit could be dismissed if he doesn’t enforce the law he has sued to block, an attorney told District Judge Susan Bolton, who didn’t say when she would decide whether to halt the law before it takes effect on July 29.
Attorneys for Gov. Jan Brewer told the judge that the lawsuit — filed by Officer David Salgado and the statewide nonprofit group Chicanos Por La Causa — should be dismissed because Salgado and the group lack legal standing to sue and there’s no valid claim of immediate harm.
But Salgado’s attorney disagreed.
“He does have a real threat,” Stephen Montoya said. “They can fire him. That’s enough.”
Bolton is considering whether to block the law and whether to dismiss the lawsuit.
Protesters and supporters of the law gathered outside the courthouse, separated by Phoenix police officers carrying guns and handcuffs.