This view of the Constitution has been rejected by the federal courts, which consistently have held that under the Constitution, the states do not have the power to nullify federal laws. The courts have rejected the compact theory, finding that the Constitution was not a contract among the states.
Manzano, Jr. pleaded not guilty in court yesterday to charges he aided and abetted illegal immigrants and lied to a federal officer. His father remains a fugitive. For NPR News, I'm Amita Sharma in San Diego. Copyright Â© 2011 NPR.
The figure, 690,000, is the number of known illegal immigrants who have been convicted of felonies or crimes defined as serious misdemeanors. Deporting 690,000 out of Americaâs 11 million immigrants would result in the deportation of 6.27 percent of all known illegal immigrants.