Brewer responds to Justice Department challenge

Gov. Jan Brewer has filed a response in federal court to a Justice Department challenge of Arizona’s tough new immigration law.

Brewer says President Barack Obama is trying to prevent Arizona from protecting its citizens with the Justice Department challenge, one of seven lawsuits seeking to have the new law blocked before it goes into effect July 29.

Brewer’s filing seeks to have the Justice Department’s challenge rejected.

The Tuesday filing says illegal immigration and a lack of comprehensive enforcement by the federal government has caused “crushing personal, environmental, criminal, and financial burdens” on Arizona.

The law requires officers, while enforcing other laws, to check a person’s immigration status if there’s reasonable suspicion that the person is here illegally.