The US government on Wednesday welcomed a federal court's decision to block key elements of a controversial immigration law in Arizona, dpa reported.
The court decision "correctly affirms the federal government's responsibilities in enforcing our nation's immigration laws," said Matt Chandler, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security.
The federal court in Arizona blocked a key provision of the law that would have required police to check suspects' immigration status during all routine police stops. The court ruling, which leaves some other provisions intact, came just a day before the law was due to go into effect.
US President Barack Obama has called the law "misguided" and his Justice Department has also filed suit in court, arguing immigration policy must be decided at the federal level.
Arizona politicians have said they were forced to move forward because of inaction at the federal level. Chandler insisted the government has "dedicated unprecedented resources to secure the border" in the last 18 months.