Appeals court upholds Arizona immigration law

PHOENIX - A federal appeals court has upheld an Arizona law that penalizes businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and requires them to verify the employment status of their workers.

The three-judge panel rejected a challenge by business and civil-rights groups that contend the law infringes on federal immigration powers.

While it upheld the law, the court left the door open for other challenges, saying no one has been accused of violating the law since it took effect nine months ago.

The Republican state representative who authored the law, says the ruling is a big win for the movement to get state and local governments to crack down on illegal immigration.

The law is intended to lessen the economic incentive for immigrants to sneak into the country.