April 16 (Reuters) - The battle over illegal immigration heads to the U.S. Supreme Court next week, when the high court will hear arguments for and against new Arizona laws requiring police, employers and landlords to expose undocumented immigrants. Arizona of course is not alone in its crackdown on illegal immigrants, with states including Alabama, Georgia, Utah, as well as a number of cities, passing similar measures. The movement's chief legal architect is 45-year old Kris Kobach, a former constitutional law professor, current secretary of state of Kansas and adviser to Mitt Romney on immigration issues. While Kobach is not arguing in the Arizona case, he has been helping other states and cities defend their laws against challenges by the Justice Department and civil rights groups.
Reuters' Terry Baynes recently caught up with Kobach to discuss the issue of state versus federal authority in immigration matters. The questions and answers were edited for clarity and brevity. - [Full Article]
