Yesterday, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear Chamber of Commerce v.Candelaria, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce’s legal challenge to the Legal Arizona Workers Act (LAWA) — an Arizona law that punishes companies by suspending or revoking their business licenses if they are found to be knowingly hiring undocumented immigrants. Despite its opposition to LAWA, the Chamber has had little to say about about the controversial immigration bill which Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) recently signed into law, SB-1070. Not only is the Chamber curiously remaining silent about a related immigration measure that reinforces LAWA, it has now endorsed Brewer in her race for governor.

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce described its decision process in a press release announcing its endorsement of Brewer: “incumbent candidates were evaluated based on their record in office as it relates to the Chamber policy agenda and their commitment to promoting a pro-business agenda.” If that’s the case, the Chamber may want to take another look at how Brewer’s immigration position stands up to their own.

One of the main arguments against LAWA as well as SB 1070 is that the laws are federally pre-empted, or that immigration is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. “Employers are being overwhelmed by a tidal wave of conflicting state and local immigration laws,” said Robin Conrad, executive vice president of the National Chamber Litigation Center, in reference to LAWA. Not only did Brewer sign off on a law that goes a lot further than LAWA, the actual effects of SB-1070′s implementation will likely hit business even harder. While LAWA’s scope was limited to employment practices, SB-1070′s focus is on making life miserable for undocumented immigrants. If the law succeeds in its goal of ridding the state of them, it’s estimated that Arizona will lose $26.4 billion in economic activity, $11.7 billion in gross state product, and approximately 140,324 jobs. The Arizona Republic reported today that some business have already been hurt by their departure.

Conrad also stated that “[t]he Chamber supports comprehensive immigration reform.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce specifically supports an earned path to legalization for undocumented immigrants. However, Brewer believes the phrase “comprehensive immigration reform” is “code” for “amnesty” and refuses to have anything to do with it. According to Brewer, any talk of immigration reform is off the table until the government secures the border and closes the “gateway to America for drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and crime.” Considering the fact that statistics show that the border is safer than it’s been in years, it could be a while before Brewer’s perception catches up with reality.

The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has called on Brewer to veto SB-1070, stating it will cause “businesses to move out of Arizona, other organizations to stop doing business with or visit the state and result in job losses.” Meanwhile, in its press release, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce praises Brewer, stating “[n]o governor has done more to lessen the regulations and red tape facing business.” Candidates must receive the support of 60 percent of the Board of Directors to receive an endorsement.

Yesterday, the Center for American Progress hosted “In Search of Secure Borders,” an event assessing the federal government’s effort to control illegal migration. One of the panelists, state Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) — an outspoken critic of Arizona’s new immigration law — sat down with Wonk Room to discuss some of Gov. Jan Brewer’s (R-AZ) recent statements indicating that she believes that the majority of undocumented immigrants who cross into the U.S. are drug mules “doing drop houses and they’re extorting people and they’re terrorizing the families.”

Sinema joined a growing chorus of voices, which includes Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and T.J. Bonner of the National Border Patrol Council, who have affirmed that Brewer’s remarks are false:

SINEMA: Well it’s just not true. And while some might find it politically expedient in the short-term to be loose with the facts or make allegations that aren’t based in fact, I think that’s unfortunate. In the political process I think it’s healthy for us to have a variety of opinions. And we certainly should have a robust debate about the ideas. But we’re not entitled to our own facts. And the bottom line is the facts she uses not only this week, but in previous weeks, are just not true. [...]

WONK ROOM: Why do you feel you can say that and Jan Brewer can’t say it? What’s the difference between you and Jan Brewer?

SINEMA: Well, I believe in facts.

Watch it:

Sinema also told Wonk Room that not only is it not true that the majority of undocumented immigrants act as drug mules, it’s also not true that the majority of people in our jails are undocumented persons. “That doesn’t mean that border crime and interior crime isn’t a serious problem,” stated Sinema. “But I believe that problem is serious enough without making up facts.”

Brewer has also defended her decision to sign off on SB-1070 by stating that Arizona is “under siege” by Mexican drug cartels and undocumented immigrants and has repeatedly slammed the federal government for not securing the border. However, SB-1070 only deals with people who have already crossed the border into Arizona and does nothing to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants and drug cartels alike. Meanwhile, recent reports reveal that the border has only become safer in recent years.

In the past, Brewer has also claimed that her father “died fighting” the Nazis — despite the fact his death came 10 years after World War II had ended.