Judge to hear federal challenge to Arizona law today

A federal judge will hear the Justice Department's challenge of Arizona's immigration law Thursday, and could decide to issue an injunction barring the law from going into effect July 29.

The Justice Department will argue that the law interferes with federal authority over immigration and will overburden federal agencies that enforce immigration laws.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's lawyers argued against an injunction in a response filed with the court Tuesday. "Arizona merely seeks to assist with the enforcement of existing federal immigration laws in a constitutional manner," they wrote. "It is [the federal government] that is attempting to impose immigration policies and priorities that contravene and conflict with federal law and unambiguous congressional intent."