The US state of Arizona is set to bring in tough new legislation against illegal immigrants.
A bill likely to be signed into law in the coming weeks, would make it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally, giving local police greater powers to stop and question people about their immigration status.
Immigrants unable to produce documents showing they are allowed to be in the US could be arrested, jailed for up to six months and fined $2,500 if the bill is passed, but opponents have vowed to try to block it through the courts.
Al Jazeera's Tom Ackerman reports.
[April 15, 2010]
