Im asking because ive been faxing and emailing letters to lawmakers and this letter came in my inbox from Senator Boxer...
This letter expresses beliefs totally different from what mine are, and ive been very clear....
Read this.

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about recently-enacted state immigration enforcement laws. I share your view that immigration enforcement is a Federal responsibility.

As you know, several states, including Alabama, have enacted immigration enforcement laws. These state laws require state and local police officers to attempt to determine the immigration status of a person during any legitimate contact with law enforcement if "reasonable suspicion" exists that the person is unlawfully present in the United States, among many other provisions.

The Obama Administration is taking action in regard to the Alabama immigration law, H.B. 56, and similar ones in other states. The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit to challenge H.B. 56 in federal court. The Justice Department said that it was taking legal action on the grounds that the state law usurps the Federal government's responsibility to enact and enforce U.S. immigration policies.

On September 28, 2011, Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn of the Federal District Court in Birmingham blocked two broad provisions of H.B. 56, one outlawing the harboring or transporting of illegal immigrants and another barring illegal immigrants from attending public universities. Judge Blackburn blocked the implementation of these provisions because she found them to be preempted by federal law, meaning that, because the Constitution gives the federal government the right to establish immigration laws, federal laws related to immigration override state laws in that area. In a companion district court case, other sections of the law were blocked because they were found to be unconstitutional on grounds such as failure to give the right to present a defense. Subsequently, after consolidating the cases, the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit blocked two of the provisions that Judge Blackburn had allowed to go into effect, including that pertaining to the immigration status of incoming elementary and secondary students, after finding that these provisions were also preempted by federal law.

In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, told the House Judiciary Committee at a recent hearing that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was not aiding Alabama officials with the implementation of its immigration law, H.B. 56. Rather, she told the House Judiciary Committee that the Department of Homeland Security has been assisting the Justice Department with its challenge of H.B. 56.

Finally, in early December 2011, Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez warned local Alabama law enforcement agencies that the Justice Department would consider withdrawing federal funding or filing civil lawsuits should it find that H.B. 56 was not implemented in a manner consistent with "applicable civil rights laws."

Please know that I will keep your concerns in mind as this situation develops. I will continue to advocate for fair and sensible immigration policies through my position on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Should you have any additional comments or questions, I encourage you to be in touch with my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841.



Sincerely yours,


Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the nation are available at my website,Feinstein.senate.gov. You can also receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my e-mail list. Click here to sign up. And please vi