CAPITAL CULTURE: Unlike other justices, Sotomayor becomes a celebrity outside the courtroom. Apparently, no one told Sonia Sotomayor that Supreme Court justices are supposed to be circumspect, emerging from their marble palace mainly to dispense legal wisdom to law schools, judges' conferences and lawyers' meetings.

Immigrant and civil rights groups urge an end to having local agencies enforce immigration. Immigrant and civil rights advocates are asking the Obama administration to put an end to a federal program that lets local police and sheriff's departments enforce the country's immigration laws.

Superintendent tells Mexican residents attending US schools: Prove Texas residency or leave. Students living in northern Mexico have skirted residency requirements to attend U.S. public schools for generations, but when the superintendent in one Texas border town got word that about 400 school-age children were crossing the international bridge each day with backpacks but no student visas, he figured he had to do something.

AP Interview: Latino leader wants immigration reform in parts if Congress delays full bill. The head of the nation's leading Latino legal advocacy group said if comprehensive immigration legislation seems unlikely in 2010, Congress should make down payments by passing smaller-scale reforms.

GOP Sen. Alexander, No. 3 Republican, breaks with leaders to back Sotomayor for Supreme Court. The Senate's No. 3 Republican announced Thursday he'd break with the rest of his party's leaders to support Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, who's in line to become the first Hispanic justice.

Civil rights group Sotomayor advised sued in case similar to firefighters' job test dispute. A civil rights group on whose board Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor served filed racial bias lawsuits over employment examinations that resemble a Connecticut case in which she ruled against white firefighters, documents released by the Senate show.

Civil rights group Sotomayor advised sued in case similar to firefighters' job test dispute. A civil rights group on whose board Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor served filed racial bias lawsuits over employment examinations that resemble a Connecticut case in which she ruled against white firefighters, documents released by the Senate show.

Civil rights group Sotomayor advised brought case similar to Connecticut firefighters' dispute. A civil rights group advised by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor in the 1980s brought several discrimination lawsuits that sought to scrap the results of job tests because too few Hispanics scored well, according to new documents that are fueling GOP criticism of the judge.

White House announces nominees to become ambassadors to London, Paris. President Barack Obama has picked a major Democratic fundraiser as ambassador to Britain, a theology professor to represent the United States at the Vatican and a former member of the 9/11 Commission to be the top U.S. diplomat in India.

President Barack Obama named several new ambassadors including to Japan, India and Sri Lanka, amid heightened tension in Asia over North Korea's nuclear tests, unrest in Pakistan and ethnic tension in Sri Lanka.

President Barack Obama named several new ambassadors including to Japan, India and Sri Lanka, amid heightened tension in Asia over North Korea's nuclear tests, unrest in Pakistan and ethnic tension in Sri Lanka.

Hate crime acquittal becomes Hispanic rallying cry, exposes problems in enforcing bias laws. Teenagers, a small town and alcohol. Tension between whites and a growing Hispanic population. Ethnic slurs, punches and kicks. A dead illegal immigrant from Mexico.

Gov. signs Georgia law following Ariz. lead to require citizenship proof of prospective voters. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a divisive law Tuesday making the state only the second after Arizona to require prospective voters to prove their U.S. citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep the poor, elderly and minorities away from the ballot box.

Supreme Court limits use of identity theft charge against people with phony IDs. A unanimous Supreme Court said Monday that undocumented workers who use phony IDs can't be considered identity thieves without proof they knew they were stealing real people's Social Security and other numbers.

Pa. jury rules epithet-laden brawl that led to illegal immigrant's death was not a hate crime. Prosecutors called the beating death of an illegal immigrant from Mexico a hate crime, and they urged an all-white jury in Pennsylvania coal country to punish two white teenagers for their roles in the attack.

A look at some potential Obama nominees to the Supreme Court. Court watchers think President Barack Obama will choose a woman for his first nomination to the Supreme Court, where only one of nine seats is held by a female ? Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.