Tucson police said Wednesday they will no longer fully enforce the state’s landmark immigration law that requires local police to check the immigration status of people they encounter while enforcing other laws.
Chief Roberto Villaseñor said his officers will now only check immigration status and call the U.S. Border Patrol when a person has prior serious felony convictions, poses a threat to national security or has gang affiliations.
The criteria was set out for federal immigration authorities in an executive order issued last month by President Barack Obama intended to prioritize offenders for deportation.
The Arizona law, SB 1070, requires police, while enforcing other laws, to question the status of people suspected of being in the country illegally.
The Tucson Police Department appears to be the first major law enforcement agency to announce scaled-back enforcement of the law.
