The US Supreme Court has backed checks on the immigration status of people stopped or arrested in Arizona, while striking down key parts of a tough law critics branded as racial profiling.

President Barack Obama said he was pleased three challenges were upheld. Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney are each battling for Hispanic votes ahead of November’s presidential election, BBC reported.

Mr Romney reacted quickly to the court’s ruling, criticising Mr Obama for not passing a national immigration reform law.

The headline provision, known as Section 2(B), that requires police to make a “reasonable attempt… to determine the immigration status” of anyone who is stopped for another violation, was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah have all adopted variations of the Arizona law.

The Supreme Court also struck down three other parts of the Arizona immigration law. One clause would have required immigrants to carry proof of their status with them, and another would have made it a crime for undocumented workers to apply for a job. The court also struck down a provision that would have allowed police to stop people purely on the suspicion that they were in the country illegally.

“No American should ever live under a cloud of suspicion just because of what they look like,” said president Obama.

Obama recently outlined a plan to allow hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who came to the US as children the option of legal status and work permits. Romney has opposed Obama’s plan, but has not said how he would address the issue of immigration.

Immigration has become a key issue as the US edges closer to this year’s presidential election.

Ref.110.110.110.1311