Court Issues Decision On Civil Rights Coalition Lawsuit Against Arizona Racial Profiling Law

PHOENIX, AZ – Plaintiffs in Friendly House et. al. v. Whiting et al. won an important legal victory in their constitutional challenge to SB 1070, Arizona’s racial profiling law. Among other things, the court found that the plaintiffs’ claim that “Racial discrimination was a motivating factor for [S.B.] 1070’s enactment” establishes a valid constitutional challenge to the law. This decision was filed in response to the defendants’ motions to dismiss the case and the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction.

Today’s order is an important first step in challenging this unconstitutional law. The civil rights coalition will continue its legal fight until all of SB 1070 is taken off the books.

For more information, please contact:
• Adela de la Torre, NILC, (213) 400-7822; delatorre@nilc.org
• Rachel Myers, ACLU, (646) 206-8643 or (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
• Alessandra Soler Meetze, ACLU of Arizona, (602) 418-5499; ameetze@acluaz.org
• Laura Rodriguez, MALDEF, (310) 956-2425; lrodriguez@maldef.org
• Karin Wang, APALC, (213) 241-0234 or 999-5640; kwang@apalc.org
• Leila McDowell, NAACP, (202) 463-2940 ext. 1021