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Chamber of Commerce v. Candelaria (NIJC as amicus, Supreme Court)

This case asked whether an Arizona statute which creates state provisions regarding employment of undocumented individuals – including requiring the use of the federal electronic employment verification system and harshly punishing employers who hire undocumented workers – was pre-empted by the federal IRCA statute, where Congress created uniform employment rules. 

NIJC, along with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the American Immigration Council (AIC), submitted a Supreme Court amicus brief with a detailed analysis of federal employment statutes, including the I-9 process and the significant ways in which the Arizona statute differs from Federal law.

On May 26, 2011, the Supreme Court upheld the Arizona statute in a 5-3 decision.

Read the NIJC/AILA/AIC amicus brief.

Read the petitioner’s brief.

Read the Supreme Court decision.

View other briefs, listen to the oral argument, an read SCOTUS Blog analysis of the case here.