San Francisco , California ( CNN ) -- Attorneys representing Arizona and the U.S. Justice Department faced off Monday in an appeals court hearing over the state 's controversial new immigration law . Arizona Gov . Jan Brewer has asked the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to overturn a federal judge 's July ruling , which blocked the most contested parts of the law the day before it was scheduled to go into effect . In response to the Justice Department 's suit over the law , U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton 's July ruling temporarily blocked such controversial provisions as the requirement that police officers check a person 's immigration status while enforcing other laws . Critics have argued that the law , known as SB 1070 , would lead to racial profiling . Brewer and other Arizona officials have said the law is necessary to make up for federal government failures in enforcing immigration laws . An attorney for the Justice Department told the court that the Arizona law is `` an extraordinary state statute that exacts penalties on top of federal ones enacted by Congress . '' `` If every state did this , we would have a patchwork of laws '' on immigration , Justice Department lawyer Edwin Kneedler said . But John Bouma , the attorney for Arizona , told the three-judge panel that the law 's provisions `` are consistent with congressional objectives . '' `` It 's objectives that count rather than this administration 's priority , '' Bouma said , referring to the Obama White House . `` Arizona has 15,000 well-trained and capable officers on the ground who can help the fix the system . '' Bouma asked the court to lift the injunction so that Arizona can `` get on with taking care of the health , safety and welfare of citizens . '' The judges adjourned after hearing the arguments . Each side had 30 minutes to present arguments before the panel of three judges at Monday 's hour-long hearing , which started at 9 a.m . Brewer said that the case is about what states `` can do about a failed federal immigration system that even President Obama acknowledges is broken . '' `` Arizona is on the front line in a fight against crime that is spilling over the international border , '' Brewer said in a written statement . `` As noted in the court record , the federal government has essentially had to cede a vast territory inside the state of Arizona to the drug runners and human smugglers . '' Activists on both sides have weighed in on the case . Republican lawmakers , Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and other state governments are among those filing briefs with the appeals court supporting Arizona 's argument . The Mexican government , the Anti-Defamation League , the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the city of Tucson , Arizona , are among those filing briefs supporting the Justice Department 's side . Some parts of the Arizona law took effect in July , including a ban on `` sanctuary cities '' : municipalities with laws or policies that render them relatively safe for undocumented immigrants . Bolton 's July ruling also allowed a provision in the law that makes it illegal to hire day laborers if doing so impedes traffic . In addition , the ruling allowed parts of the law dealing with sanctions for employers who hire illegal immigrants . But the ruling blocked a provision requiring alien registration papers . The stay also suspended a provision making it a crime `` for an unauthorized alien to solicit , apply for , or perform work '' and another provision `` authorizing the warrantless arrest of a person '' when there 's a reason to believe that person might be subject to deportation . Even after Monday 's hearing , analysts say , legal wrangling over Arizona 's law is likely to continue . As other states pass similar laws , the issue is `` very much destined for the Supreme Court , '' CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said in July . State Sen. Russell Pearce , who sponsored the law , has said he foresaw a protracted legal battle from the beginning . `` I wrote this bill for that fistfight , prepared for that fistfight , '' he said . `` We 'll prevail in the fistfight , because it 's states ' rights . '' CNN 's Dan Simon contributed to this report .
Justice Department spokesman calls Arizona law ` ` extraordinary '' Arizona attorney says law ` ` can ' fix the problem '' Critics say changes in Section 1070 will lead to racial discrimination . Governor says the law is necessary to enforce federal immigration laws .