A judge on Friday ruled against Arizona , dismissing its claims `` in their entirety '' against the federal government over its enforcement of immigration laws . The ruling by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton is an apparent blow to Arizona Gov . Jan Brewer and her allies , who last year passed a controversial law known as SB 1070 . The Obama administration has challenged Arizona , claiming that enforcing immigration matters is the exclusive responsibility of the federal government . And in a separate ruling in July 2010 , Bolton blocked four key elements of the state legislation from taking effect -- including one requiring local police officers to check a person 's immigration status while enforcing other laws . This past August , state officials filed a petition to overturn that ruling , with Brewer saying she wants the U.S. Supreme Court to decide the matter . Arizona has argued that the law aims to merely assist and cooperate with federal authorities , which it says Congress has blessed . The focus of Friday 's ruling was Arizona 's counterclaim to a federal lawsuit intent on blocking SB 1070 . Brewer released a statement Friday calling Bolton 's latest decision `` to dismiss Arizona 's suit against the federal government ... frustrating but not entirely surprising . '' `` It is but the latest chapter in a story that Arizonans know all too well : The federal government ignores its constitutional and statutory duty to secure the border . Federal courts avert their eyes . American citizens pay the price , '' the statement said . Passed last year , the Arizona law aimed to `` discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States . '' In its counterclaims to the federal lawsuit , Arizona stated that Washington does not have `` operational control '' over the Arizona-Mexico border , fails to protect Arizonans from invasion and domestic violence and has n't lived up to its statutory responsibility to enforce immigration laws . Arizona also cited the 10th Amendment , which states that powers not delegated to federal authorities rest with the states . But Bolton wrote in her ruling that the `` invasion clause protects against 'armed hostility from another political entity ' and does not permit Arizona to sue the federal government for its alleged failure to protect the state from unlawful immigration . '' Bolton also said it is up to the political branch , not the courts , to decide if the `` domestic violence clause '' applies to the immigration debate . Arizona also argued that it faces greater costs due to what it calls federal authorities failure to properly address immigration -- including to `` provide education , medical care and other benefits '' to illegal immigrants in violation of the Tenth Amendment . '' The judge countered , claiming `` Arizona does not point to any federal immigration policy that mandates or compels Arizona to take action . '' `` The complained of expenditures arise entirely from Arizona 's own policy choices and independent constitutional obligations and are not incurred as a result of any federal mandate . These state costs do not give rise to a claim under the Tenth Amendment , '' she wrote . Arizona also alleged that the federal government `` failed to comply with and enforce federal immigration law , '' including a requirement that the U.S . Homeland Security department have `` operational control '' of the border and construct at least 700 miles of barriers . The judge found that these laws do n't require `` any discreet action 'with the clarity necessary to support judicial action , ' '' noting that the term `` operational control '' is broad and that there are no deadlines for the fencing , infrastructure or other developments . In her statement following Bolton 's ruling , Brewer vowed that the state 's efforts on the matters would continue . `` This decision makes it even more critical that the U.S. Supreme Court hear our defense of SB 1070 , '' she said . `` If the courts wo n't hold the federal government accountable -- as today 's decision makes clear -- then states like Arizona need clarity in terms of the authority they have to combat illegal immigration . ''
The judge rules that Arizona 's claims on immigration are without merit . Arizona 's governor vows to take fight to the U.S. Supreme Court . Arizona passed a controversial immigration law last year , triggering lawsuits .