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06/25/2012 09:18 PM

Immigration groups celebrate Supreme Court decision

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CHARLOTTE -- Following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Arizona's immigration law, several groups gathered in North Carolina Monday to celebrate what they are calling a victory.

The court struck down several key provisions of the law but kept one highly controversial part of it.

While immigration groups still see this as a win, they want North Carolina lawmakers to know not to follow Arizona's footsteps.

“We encourage our North Carolina legislators to be responsible, stewards of the state's resources and avoid introducing any similar law, which would hurt not only immigrant families, but everyone in our state,” said Leslie Gutierrez.

The Arizona immigration law, SB 1070, generated immediate controversy in April of 2010.

The Supreme Court struck down three key parts of the law. However, the court let a provision stand allowing law enforcement to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws if “reasonable suspicion” exists that the person is in the country illegally.

"The general consensus here is we have an issue and we have to address it,” said Republican State Rep., Harry Warren, who chairs a House committee examining immigration policy. “We now have some clarity to the issue and something we can build on. As you might know, it's something we were waiting on our committee was waiting to see what the Supreme Court was going to do so we can move on from here now."

Warren said taking their time to formulate the right legislation is key.

Immigration Action Committee members said their fight doesn't stop here and they will continue working to stop racial profiling in the state and country.