Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (pictured) called Obama's immigration policy shift a "pre-emptive strike" against SB 1070 (Creative Commons).

According to the newspaper, the law enacted in 2010 makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It also requires Arizona police to inquire about a person’s immigration status during arrests for other crimes if they have reasonable suspicion the person is in the country illegally, and tries to stop migrant day laborers from seeking work outside home improvement stores. 

Federal courts halted five key parts of the law from being enforced, The Arizona Republic reported. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer appealed to the Supreme Court to allow the entire law to go into effect. 

From the Phoenix Business Journal: 

The Obama administration opposes the law and sued the state in federal court arguing the Arizona statute steps on federal powers related to immigration.

Lower federal courts sided with the White House over Gov. Jan Brewer on SB 1070. But the Supreme Court’s conservative justice peppered White House counsel over their 1070 case and why Arizona can’t do something about illegal immigration mostly from Mexico.

Obama issued an executive order Friday that would allow illegal immigrants who qualify to live and work in the country for two years and could be eligible for extensions, Reuters reported. Obama’s plan would cover a person up to the age of 30 who came to the country under the age of 16 and have resided in the U.S. for at least five years. 

They must not have been convicted of any felony or significant misdemeanor offenses, according to Reuters. They must also be in school, have graduated high school or be honorably discharged from the U.S. military. 

Brewer said Friday that part of Obama’s motivation for the immigration policy change was aimed at the Supreme Court and SB 1070, the Phoenix Business Journal reported. 

She said that the president’s easing of illegal immigration laws is a “pre-emptive strike” aimed at the impending ruling, the Associated Press reported. 

“The timing is unbelievable,” Brewer said.

The Arizona governor had issued an executive order on Tuesday requiring the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board to redistribute a training video for law enforcement that had originally been distributed when the law was enacted. 

The video outlines factors that constitute reasonable suspicion that someone is in the country illegally, including language, demeanor, foreign-vehicle registration and types of identification that should immediately end an officer’s suspicions about immigration status, the AP reported. 

“The crux of Senate Bill 1070, of course, is documentation, and what he has done by his announcement today is he’s going to give documentation to nearly a million people that have arrived in our country illegally and not by the rule of law,” Brewer told the AP.

The Supreme Court could rule that parts of the law will go into effect immediately, or the issue could be sent back to a lower court, The Arizona Republic reported, delaying implementation. 

"The governor is optimistic that the heart of SB 1070 will be upheld and implemented," Brewer spokesman Matthew Benson told The Arizona Republic. "The governor thought this was an appropriate time to revisit the issue and make sure Arizona law enforcement is as prepared as possible for partial or full implementation of the law."

Several Democratic legislators voiced their support for Obama’s announcement.

“This is a sensible policy. We should support the young people in our state who are doing the right things and contributing to the betterment of our communities,” House Minority Whip Anna Tovar, D-Tolleson, told the AP.

Senate Minority Leader David Schapira, D-Phoenix, said the policy change was welcome, according to the AP. However, “comprehensive immigration reform is still needed. This is a positive step forward while Congress continues to ignore the problem.”

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage on immigration laws here:

Obama To Stop Deportation Of Some Younger Illegal Immigrants

Romney: Obama's Immigration Policy Is A "Short-Term Solution"

Some Immigration Advocates Skeptical Of Obama's New Policy

Communities Applaud Obama's Immigration Policy Shift

Reach Executive Producer Agnus Dei Farrant here.