Hundreds of immigrants who have been denied bail in Arizona may now have the opportunity to be released.
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that struck down a strict Arizona law denying bail to certain undocumented immigrants. That law was passed in 2006 amid a series of immigration crackdowns in the state over the past decade.
The law denies bail to immigrants who are in the country illegally and have been charged with a range of felonies that include shoplifting, sexual assault and murder. As a result, immigrants can spend months in jail and often plead guilty and get turned over to federal immigration authorities for deportation.
The Supreme Court decision against the law could open the door for a wave of bail hearings for immigrants across Arizona.