Is the Justice Department right to challenge Arizona's immigration law?

The federal government is filing a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Just days after President Obama spelled out his vision for immigration reform, the US Department of Justice announced that it's filing a lawsuit against Arizona's new immigration law, which is set to take effect later this month.

The law requires police to check the residence status of people stopped for other alleged crimes and who appear to be in the country illegally. Obama administration officials argue that it interferes with federal authority over immigration law and may violate civil rights.

What do you think: Should immigration enforcement be primarily a federal matter – or are states like Arizona justified in taking matters into their own hands? And does the Arizona law violate civil rights?

Share your ideas using the form below.

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