Immigration antics: Dereliction of duty

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By Tribune-Review

Published: Wednesday, July 4, 2012, 7:57 p.m.
Updated 17 hours ago

The Obama administration’s continuing contempt for U.S. immigration law is nowhere more evident than in its response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Arizona’s illegal aliens law.

The high court’s majority struck down the law’s mandate that charges illegal aliens with misdemeanors for living or working in Arizona. But the justices also made clear that cooperation between states and the federal authorities on immigration enforcement is not only constitutional but vital.

From the court’s ruling: “Federalism, central to the constitutional design, adopts the principle that both the National and State Governments have elements of sovereignty the other is bound to respect.”

But in bitter response, the administration announced that it would end cooperation with Arizona in arresting illegals. Unless a detained illegal has a felony conviction, state and local law officials will be directed to release him.

And going a step further, the administration has set up a hotline targeting Arizona law-enforcement officials for any alleged civil rights violations when state authorities check a person’s immigration status, according to The Associated Press.

On immigration, President Obama has gone from exercising “executive privilege” to executive pettiness. As such, his administration must be held fully responsible for any crimes committed by illegals who, under federal diktat, will be set free.

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