Arizona anti-immigration bill signed into law (Updated)

Update (9:00 pm):

For the last word on Arizona's immigration brouhaha here is quasi-conservative Stephen Colbert who gave his two cents on the topic:

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Update (6:00 pm):

Staffers for Rep. Raúl Grijalva (who is of Mexican background) abruptly closed his Arizona district offices after reportedly receiving death threats by phone. Grijalva was adamantly opposed to the new immigration law and has called on President Obama to end law enforcement pacts with Arizona police departments.

Update (5:00 pm):

As expected Arizonan Gov. Jan Brewer signed the controversial anti-immigration legislature into law. "Decades of inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation," said Brewer over the law that will take effect in 90 days.

According to Reuters the law is expected to be challenged in court and has become a "hot issue" ahead of Congressional midterm elections this November.

Original Post:

Could Arizona’s controversial anti-immigration bill turn out to be a Pyrrhic victory for its supporters? A growing backlash could lead to much-needed federal reform and has even caught the attention of the White House.

At a naturalization ceremony today President Obama critiqued the plan as “misguided” and one that will harm relations between police and the Arizonans. He warned that a lack of national immigration reform “will only open the door to irresponsibility by others” and urged legislators on both sides of the aisle to push for meaningful bipartisan reform.

The bill would obligate immigrants to carry papers showing they are citizens and punish those who hire undocumented immigrant day workers. Opposition against the bill has grown with some claiming that the possible law could lead to increased discrimination and racial profiling against Latinos. Protests have been held throughout Arizona including hundreds of high school students walking out of classes today. The controversy over the proposal has even been criticized abroad:

In Mexico, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution urging (Arizona Governor Jan) Brewer to veto the bill because lawmakers there say it will result in unfair harassment and racial profiling of Hispanics.

Gov. Brewer is expected to announce later today if she will sign the legislation. The bill will likely become law since she’s seeking support for her reelection bid before the state’s Republican primary. She has until Saturday to sign the bill, veto it, or do nothing and allow the proposal to rollover into law.

Online Sources- Wikipedia, The Latin Americanist, Guardian UK, CNN, Xinhua, KOLD, CBS News, Phoenix New Times