Supreme Court blocks Arizona bid to deny immigrants driver’s licenses

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Arizona officials to allow their state to deny driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants who are being allowed to stay in the U.S. by President Obama’s recent executive action. 

The lawsuit, which involves a case that dates back to 2012, was filed by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) after a lower court ruled in favor of activists who argued the state’s rules were unfair. 

Brewer was seeking a stay of the lower court’s ruling in light of the Obama administration’s move to allow about five million undocumented workers to have a process to become U.S. citizens. 

{mosads}The Supreme Court’s decision to reject Arizona’s attempt to deny driver’s licenses to immigrants is being hailed as a major victory by advocates of the type of reform that is being pursued by Obama.

“This is a huge victory for all Arizonans,” Arizona Dream Act Coalition spokeswoman Korina Iribe said in a statement. “This decision will begin to erase the invisible lines of segregation that politicians and their ill-hearted, irrational policies have created in our beautiful state.” 

The Supreme Court’s decision was opposed by justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito.