Brewer: 'Heart' of immigration law proven constitutional

>> take our audience to arizona where governor jan brewer is speaking right now. let's listen in.

>> -- thank you all for being here this morning. let me begin by saying from the moment that i signed into law senate bill 1070 , the support our neighborhood act, arizona has been preparing for this day. the facts have too often been lost in the rhetoric. let's reflect on what has brought us here today. arizona did not ask for this fight. nor did it seek the task of having to confront illegal immigration . we cannot forget that we are here today because the federal government has failed the american people regarding immigration policy . has failed to protect its citizens, has failed to preserve the rule of law, and has failed to secure our borders. the failure to secure or border has and arizona without question bears the brunt of that failure. we also cannot forget that president obama and his party have both houses in congress for two years and could have secured our borders and fulfilled the promise to fix our broken immigration system. they failed. and in response, arizona had no other choice but to act and arizona did so by following, not changing, federal law . instead of devoting resources to suing states like arizona , the federal government should have spent time, money and energy on fixing the problem. so today is a day when the key components of our efforts to protect the citizens of arizona , to take up the fight against illegal immigration , and in a balanced and constitutional way, has unanimously been vindicated by the highest court in the land. the heart of some senate bill 1070 has been proven to be constitutional. arizona and every other state's inherent authority to protect and defend its people has been upheld. i pray for strength and pray for our state, before i signed senate bill 1070 . i did so because i firmly believed it represented what was best for arizona . border related violence and crime and the significant financial cost due to illegal immigration are critically important issues to the people of our state. and to me. both as governor and as a citizen. as i have said, this is a day that we have been waiting for. and make no mistake, arizona is ready. we know that the eyes of the world will be upon us . we know the critics will be watching and waiting. hoping for another opportunity to continue their legal assault against our state. but i have faith in our law enforcement . our brave men and women in uniform have been trained so that they're able to enforce this law efficiently, effectively, and in harmony with the constitution. civil rights will be protected. racial profiling will not be tolerated. senate bill 1070 is equally committed to upholding the rule of law while ensuring the constitutional rights of all in arizona are protected. including prohibiting law enforcement officers from solely considering race, color, or national origin and implementing its provision. in fact, under my direction, senate bill 1070 was amended to strengthen and to emphasize the importance that civil rights are protected. arizona is prepared to move forward to enforce this law that we have fought so hard to defend, ever mindful of our rights, ever faithful to the constitution. and ever worthy of the blessings of god, who has given us that, that we share together as arizonans and as americans. thank you.

>> governor, you mentioned section 2b and i appreciate that, but there were three other sections of the law you signed and defended including one that would make it a state crime not to have -- one that would make it a state crime not to work and the full court, the full court essentially said with the exception of scalia that, no, you can't do that. how do you defend having signed something like that? how do you defend having declared that constitutional two years ago, only to have the high court --

>> today, the state of arizona and senate bill 1070 was vindicated. and the heart of the bill was upheld. unanimously.

>> -- considering some of the obama administration's rules on --

>> well, with section 2b being upheld it says local law enforcement can assist the federal government in the right to ask under reasonable su and whenever practical to confirm the legal ability of someone being in the state of arizona .

>> but the point i think --

>> we're listening in to arizona governor jan brewer saying that the decision rendered, at least a portion of it by the supreme court today, is vindication. and also saying she is prepared for a legal assault on her state from critics of this law. everyone,