Judge has already put SB 1070 provision on hold
Federal authorities have asked an appeals court to reject Arizona's bid to overturn a ruling that bars enforcement of a minor section of the state's 2010 immigration law that prohibits the harboring of illegal immigrants.
The U.S. Justice Department told the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that Arizona's harboring ban is trumped by the federal government's broad immigration powers.
The federal government made those arguments in a friend-of-the-court brief filed as part of a challenge mounted by a coalition of civil rights groups.
The harboring ban was in effect from late July 2010 until U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton blocked its enforcement on Sept. 5 as part of civil rights coalition's challenge.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has asked the appeals court to reverse Bolton's ruling.
