Thread: Feds suing to stop Ariz. immigrant law

BOB CHRISTIE, Associated Press Writer Bob Christie, Associated Press Writer – 23 mins ago

PHOENIX – The U.S. Justice Department is filing a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Arizona's tough new law targeting illegal immigrants.

The planned lawsuit was confirmed to The Associated Press by a Justice Department official with knowledge of the plans. The official didn't want to be identified before a public announcement planned for later Tuesday.

The lawsuit will argue that Arizona's new measure requiring state and local police to question and possibly arrest illegal immigrants during the enforcement of other laws, like traffic stops, usurps federal authority.

Tuesday's action has been expected for weeks. President Barack Obama has called the state law misguided. Supporters say it is a reasonable reaction to federal inaction on immigration.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/az_immigrati ... nt_lawsuit

What does THAT tell you about any serious federal intention to solve the illegal immigration problem in the U.S.A.?

Originally Posted by legalalien

What does THAT tell you about any serious federal intention to solve the illegal immigration problem in the U.S.A.?

It tells anyone with half a brain that the federal government will do anything to stop illegal immigration enforcement.

While on one hand they are sending a too small amount of aid to the border to make a false show of support for enforcement of illegal immigration law, on the other hand they are suing a state for enforcing illegal immigration law. They must think people are really stupid but their stupid actions are NOT working anymore.

FORKED TONGUES

Dems really don't want to lose those hispanic votes.

LONGER VERSION

Feds sue in bid to block immigration law
By BOB CHRISTIE Associated Press
July 6, 2010, 10:48AM
Share Del.icio.usDiggTwitterYahoo! BuzzFacebookStumbleUponEmail Close [X]PHOENIX — The U.S. Justice Department is filing a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Arizona's new law targeting illegal immigrants, setting the stage for a clash between the federal government and state over the nation's toughest immigration crackdown.

The planned lawsuit was confirmed to the Associated Press by a Justice Department official with knowledge of the plans. The official didn't want to be identified before a public announcement planned for later Tuesday.

The lawsuit will argue that Arizona's new measure requiring state and local police to question and possibly arrest illegal immigrants during the enforcement of other laws, like traffic stops, usurps federal authority.

Tuesday's action has been expected for weeks. President Barack Obama has called the state law misguided. Supporters say it is a reasonable reaction to federal inaction on immigration.

The law requires officers, while enforcing other laws, to question a person's immigration status if there's a reasonable suspicion that they are in the country illegally.

Republican Gov. Jan Brewer signed the law in April, and it was set to go into effect July 29. The lawsuit could delay implementation of the law.

Arizona passed the law after years of frustration over problems associated with illegal immigration, including drug trafficking and violent kidnappings. The state is the biggest gateway into the U.S. for illegal immigrants, and is home to an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit is expected to be announced by Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, a former Arizona governor.

President Barack Obama addressed the Arizona law in a speech on immigration reform last week. He touched on one of the major concerns of federal officials, that other states were poised to follow Arizona by crafting their own immigration enforcement laws.

"As other states and localities go their own ways, we face the prospect that different rules for immigration will apply in different parts of the country," Obama said. "A patchwork of local immigration rules where we all know one clear national standard is needed."

The law makes it a state crime for legal immigrants to not carry their immigration documents and bans day laborers and people who seek their services from blocking traffic on streets.

The law also prohibits government agencies from having policies that restrict the enforcement of federal immigration law and lets Arizonans file lawsuits against agencies that hinder immigration enforcement.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/7095717.html

As the law closely mirrors federal law, does this action foresee an Obama attack on the federal law as well?

This AP article is now on the USA TODAY site.

You can post comments @

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington ... tion_N.htm

So what about state laws on drugs, there are laws at the federal level for drugs as well right? Should the lawsuit include all states with drug laws as they usurp federal law as well?

Funny how states start passing medical marijuana laws which usurp federal law and Obama does nothing but turn his head and tell the DEA not to enforce federal law. Can't pick and choose when arguing what the law means, either states can usurp or they can't...

Just found this quote on the administration's medical MJ view from 02/2009, take note of the bolded part:

[quote]White House spokesman Nick Shapiro hinted at the policy shift shortly after the California raids, telling The Washington Times that the dispensaries were legal in California and that the Obama administration’s stance was that [b]“federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws.â€

Every city, county and state law enforcement officer should help enforce ALL immigration laws

since the Feds can't or won't.

Just called my Dem congresswoman's office and told the staffer that if this suit is filed I would be forced to vote for her Republican opponent.