Lawmaker seeks to strip funds for government’s case against Arizona immigration law

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) is seeking to pass a measure that would ban the federal government from using funds to challenge Arizona's new immigration law.

Poe will seek to attach his measure to the House GOP spending bill being considered on the House floor.

“This is an issue of public safety, and that’s why its important for the federal government to get out of the way of the state of Arizona,” Poe said. “The sovereign state of Arizona is being overrun by dangerous people.”

Arizona's controversial law requires police to question a person's immigration status while enforcing laws if there is reasonable suspicion he or she is in the country illegally.

But Rep. Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.) argued that Congress should allow the law to see its day in court.

“Let the process occur, and then we will know whether or not Arizona has the power to deal with immigration in this way,” Pastor added.