Supreme Court justices strongly suggested Wednesday they are ready to allow Arizona to enforce part of a controversial state law that requires police officers to check the immigration status of people they think are in the country illegally.

How the Justices rule could affect Georgia's immigration law, since it was patterned after the one in Arizona.

Asian American Legal Advocacy Center Executive Director Helen Ho tells Channel 2 Action News the law is harmful for the state's immigrant communities.

"Were talking about American-owned, American-immigrant owned small businesses in our city have had trouble retaining and hiring workers," said Ho.

Phil Kent is on the Immigration Enforcement Review Board and thinks the law is not only legally sound, but necessary to deal with the negative impacts of illegal immigration.  He also thinks if the justices strike down Arizona's law, Georgia's may still stand.

"Georgia actually has a little cushion there regardless of how the Arizona case goes, because they aren't required to check legal status, like Arizona is," said Kent.

The Supreme Court may not issue a ruling until June.