**Written by Doug Powers

Adding to the drama of an election year and the Supreme Court taking on the Obamacare law, SCOTUS will also hear the Arizona immigration law next spring/summer:

The high court agreed to review a ruling that put on hold the key parts of the law signed by Republican Governor Jan Brewer in April 2010. The case has been closely watched because several other states have adopted similar laws.

The law requires police to check the immigration status of anyone they detained and suspected of being in the nation illegally. Other parts require immigrants to carry their papers at all times and ban people without proper documents from soliciting for work in public places.

The justices are likely to hear arguments in the case in April, with a ruling due by July.

Only eight Supremes will hear the case:

In its notice, the court said Justice Elena Kagan had recused herself from the decision to take the case.

Justice Kagan has come under fire for not recusing herself from the decision to hear challenges to the new health care law.

She was Mr. Obama’s solicitor general from March 2009 up through May 2010, though she stopped taking part in cases in March 2010 so she would preserve her ability to hear them as a justice.

The health care law was signed in March 2010. Arizona’s immigration law passed in April 2010.

In May the Supreme Court upheld a separate 2007 Arizona law that imposes sanctions on businesses that hire illegal aliens. Kagan sat that one out as well.

**Written by Doug Powers

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