Backed into a corner by Arizona's tough new immigration law, Democrats and Republicans alike find themselves grappling with a volatile issue neither party wanted to fight over just before important midterm congressional elections.

The Rev. Al Sharpton and New York-area Hispanic leaders vowed Sunday to fight Arizona's new immigration law through legal challenges and with civil disobedience if those challenges fail.

Civil rights activists called on President Barack Obama to fight a tough new Arizona law targeting illegal immigrants Sunday, promising to march in the streets and invite arrest by refusing to comply if the measure goes into effect.

Sen. Russell Pearce was the driving force behind the immigration reform package that has once again put Arizona in the national spotlight. But he wouldn't have been able to get it passed without the help of several people who either supported S1070 or moved out of its way.

Gov. Jan Brewer today signed a sweeping immigration bill that would make it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally.

Pearce, a veteran lawmaker who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, had a lot of tools at his disposal to ratchet up the pressure on people to support his bill, but none was more powerful than public opinion.

After years of watching his anti-illegal-immigration bills crumble in a heap of vetoes, Sen. Russell Pearce took steps this time to ensure that S1070 would pass muster with Gov. Jan Brewer.

Ariz. Jan Brewer isn't taking action Thursday on a controversial immigration enforcement bill but she will be announcing a border security plan.

Republican Sen. John McCain, who once championed a path to citizenship for the nation's roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants, is now pushing for a crackdown on illegals amid the toughest re-election fight of his career.

It could be a busy day for Arizona lawmakers.