PHOENIX — A federal judge has struck down Arizona’s 2005 immigrant smuggling law on the grounds that it’s trumped by federal statutes.
The ruling Friday by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton marked the latest in a string of restrictions placed by the courts on Arizona’s effort to get local police to confront illegal immigration.
Bolton ruled the state law deprives federal authorities of their exclusive right to prosecute smuggling crimes.
Arizona’s smuggling law was passed as lawmakers responded to voter frustration over the state’s position as the nation’s then-busiest immigrant smuggling hub.
The smuggling law had been used frequently in Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s trademark immigration efforts, though the courts have curbed his immigration powers over the 17 last months.
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