Arizonas reply was that would simply jail the offenders until the Feds followed the law as written.
On May 21, 2:28 pm, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Top Official Says Feds May Not Process Illegals Referred From Arizona > > A top Department of Homeland Security official reportedly said his > agency will not necessarily process illegal immigrants referred to them > by Arizona authorities. > > A top Department of Homeland Security official reportedly said his > agency will not necessarily process illegal immigrants referred to them > by Arizona authorities. > > John Morton, assistant secretary of homeland security for U.S. > Immigration and Customs Enforcement, made the comment during a meeting > on Wednesday with the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune, the > newspaper reports. > > "I don't think the Arizona law, or laws like it, are the solution," > Morton told the newspaper. > > The best way to reduce illegal immigration is through a comprehensive > federal approach, he said, and not a patchwork of state laws. > > The law, which criminalizes being in the state illegally and requires > authorities to check suspects for immigration status, is not "good > government," Morton said. > > In response to Morton's comments, DHS officials said President Obama has > ordered the Department of Justice to examine the civil rights and other > implications of the law. > > "That review will inform the government's actions going forward," DHS > spokesman Matt Chandler told Fox News on Friday. > > Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said ICE is not obligated to > process illegal immigrants referred to them by Arizona authorities. > > "ICE has the legal discretion to accept or not to accept persons > delivered to it by non-federal personnel," Napolitano said. "It also has > the discretion to deport or not to deport persons delivered to it by any > government agents, even its own." > > Morton, according to a biography posted on ICE's website, began his > federal service in 1994 and has held numerous positions at the > Department of Justice, including as a trial attorney and special > assistant to the general counsel in the former Immigration and > Naturalization Service and as counsel to the deputy attorney general. > > Border apprehensions in Arizona, where roughly 500,000 illegal > immigrants are estimated to be living, are up 6 percent since October, > according to federal statistics. Roughly 6.5 million residents live in > Arizona. > > Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-AL, said it appeared the Obama administration is > "nullifying existing law" and suggested Morton may not be the right > person for his post if he fails to enforce federal immigration law. > > "If he feels he cannot enforce the law, he shouldn't have the job," > Sessions told Fox News. "That makes him, in my view, not fulfilling the > responsibilities of his office." > > Sessions said the U.S. government has "systematically failed" to enforce > federal immigration law and claimed Morton's statement is an indication > that federal officials do not plan on working with Arizona authorities > regarding its controversial law. > > "They're telegraphing to every ICE agency in America that they really > don't intend on cooperating with Arizona," Sessions said. "The federal > government should step up and do it. It's their responsibility." > > Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-AL, said it appeared the Obama administration is > "nullifying existing law" and suggested Morton may not be the right > person for his post if he fails to enforce federal immigration law. > > "If he feels he cannot enforce the law, he shouldn't have the job," > Sessions told Fox News. "That makes him, in my view, not fulfilling the > responsibilities of his office." > > Sessions said the U.S. government has "systematically failed" to enforce > federal immigration law and claimed Morton's statement is an indication > that federal officials do not plan on working with Arizona authorities > regarding its controversial law. > > "They're telegraphing to every ICE agency in America that they really > don't intend on cooperating with Arizona," Sessions said. "The federal > government should step up and do it. It's their responsibility." > > http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/21/official-says-feds-process... > > Wow. > Refusing to enforce Federal laws. > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
