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The US Supreme Court鈥檚 ruling Monday striking down most of Arizona鈥檚 tough anti-illegal-immigration law allows both sides to claim victory.

But in letting stand the Arizona law鈥檚 most controversial part 鈥� the provision requiring police to check the status of someone they suspect is undocumented when stopped for another violation 鈥� the high court has ensured that immigration will remain a hot-button issue through the fall elections. 聽聽

Both President Obama and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) declared victories of sorts in their statements. Mr. Obama stated that he was pleased the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the law, known as SB 1070, but expressed concern about the practical impact of the provision that the court allowed to stand, dubbed 鈥渟how me your papers.鈥�

鈥淲hat this decision makes unmistakably clear is that Congress must act on comprehensive immigration reform,鈥� Obama said in a written statement. 鈥淎 patchwork of state laws is not a solution to our broken immigration system 鈥� it鈥檚 part of the problem.鈥�

Governor Brewer, who became the face of states鈥� frustration over America鈥檚 broken immigration system, put out a statement calling the decision 鈥渁 victory for the rule of law.鈥�

鈥淚t is also a victory for the 10th Amendment and all Americans who believe in the inherent right and responsibility of states to defend their citizens,鈥� Brewer said. 鈥淎fter more than two years of legal challenges, the heart of SB 1070 can now be implemented in accordance with the US Constitution.鈥�

In contrast, Obama鈥檚 likely challenger in the fall, Mitt Romney, issued a statement that skipped over the specifics of the ruling, going right into an attack on Obama. Mr. Romney asserted that Obama has broken his promise to provide leadership on immigration.

鈥淭oday's decision underscores the need for a president who will lead on this critical issue and work in a bipartisan fashion to pursue a national immigration strategy,鈥� Romney said. 鈥淚 believe that each state has the duty 鈥� and the right 鈥� to secure our borders and preserve the rule of law, particularly when the federal government has failed to meet its responsibilities,鈥� he continued. 鈥淎s candidate Obama, he promised to present an immigration plan during his first year in office. But four years later, we are still waiting.鈥�

Romney has made this point before, including last Thursday in a speech to Latino leaders from around the country. In his own address to the same group last Friday, Obama blamed the stalemate in Washington politics for the lack of progress on comprehensive immigration reform. He noted Congress鈥檚 inability to pass the DREAM Act, legislation that offers some young undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship. Instead, he took executive action to enact a policy that halts deportations for some young illegal immigrants, but does not provide a path to citizenship.

Since Obama鈥檚 announcement June 15 of what some have dubbed 鈥淒REAM Act Lite,鈥� Romney has avoided addressing the issue head-on. His vagueness, which continued on Monday after the Arizona ruling, emphasizes the tough spot he is in. If he revives the tough rhetoric he engaged in during the primaries 鈥� suggesting at one point that illegal immigrants 鈥渟elf-deport鈥� 鈥� he will alienate Latino voters, a fast-growing bloc that could be crucial in key swing states. But if he sounds too accommodating, he could alienate his conservative base.

Obama鈥檚 statement was far more expansive and specific on the court鈥檚 ruling.

鈥淚 remain concerned about the practical impact of the remaining provision of the Arizona law that requires local law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of anyone they even suspect to be here illegally,鈥� the president said. 鈥淚 agree with the court that individuals cannot be detained solely to verify their immigration status. No American should ever live under a cloud of suspicion just because of what they look like.鈥�

He continued, 鈥淕oing forward, we must ensure that Arizona law enforcement officials do not enforce this law in a manner that undermines the civil rights of Americans, as the court鈥檚 decision recognizes.鈥�

That last statement could foreshadow challenges to the law once it goes into effect on grounds of racial profiling.

Three provisions of the Arizona law were struck down: One making it a crime for an immigrant to fail to register according to federal law. One that bars an illegal immigrant from working or looking for work. And one allowing police to arrest someone without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe the immigrant did something that would make them deportable.