wcax.com
The Associated Press
Updated: Feb 07, 2012 10:00 AM EST

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire may be the next border state to begin checking the immigration status of any arrested or detained persons.

A bill in the New Hampshire House would require law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone they arrest or detain and transfer them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as necessary.

A similar law in Arizona allowed police to check the immigration status of anyone they believed was in the country illegally. It received heavy criticism for allegedly encouraging racial profiling.

The U.S. Justice Department sued to challenge the Arizona law, and a U.S. District Court judge blocked key provisions before it went into effect.in 2010. The U.S. Supreme Court announced last week it will begin hearing oral arguments on the law in April.

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