Phoenix ? A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit seeking to block a new Arizona law that prohibits people from hiring illegal immigrants and requires businesses to verify whether applicants are eligible for employment.

The law takes effect Jan. 1.

In his ruling on Friday, U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake wrote that the lawsuit was premature because there was no evidence that anybody had been harmed and that the plaintiffs – a coalition of business and immigrant rights groups – were suing the wrong people.

The ruling said the law gives only investigatory authority to the governor and state attorney general, who were named as defendants.

Wake said county prosecutors, who weren’t defendants, actually have the power to enforce the law.

The plaintiffs had asked for a preliminary injunction blocking the law from taking effect.