Finally A State Gets Help From The Feds On Immigration!

Recently, Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona went on Greta Van Susteren's show and discussed the new enforcement law, Obama, and the numerous pleas from her state for help with illegal immigrants crossing over the border (among other things). Here she is:




After that empassioned plea, if you are thinking Arizona or Texas, New Mexico, or even California, is the state finally getting federal help on this issue, think again. That would be - wait for it - Illinois.

Yes, Illinois, Obama's home state, even as he lambasts Arizona for wanting to enforce the law, as this article indicates:

Immigration crackdown for Illinois; Feds to step up enforcement

In the midst of an outcry over illegal immigration and Arizona's new crackdown, a top Department of Homeland Security official visiting Chicago on Wednesday said his agency intended to step up enforcement in places such as Illinois.

John Morton, who heads U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said his agency intends to expand the Secure Communities initiative, which gives police and sheriff's departments access to a Homeland Security database that includes fingerprints. The initiative recently grew to include most of Chicago's suburbs.

Morton, a former prosecutor, also said the agency intends to increase scrutiny of employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

"If we're going to bring about meaningful changes in behavior, you have to do that by focusing on the employer," he said during a meeting with the Tribune editorial board.

I think many people believe that is a good step to take, target the businesses which are benefitting from, and using, illegal workers. The effect of this crackdown is what one might expect:

Morton said the government's stepped-up enforcement would result in a "sharp increase" in deportations this year. Last year's 400,000 overall deportations were a record, but this year there has already been a 40 percent jump in deportations of criminals, he said.

Echoing comments by President Barack Obama and others in the administration, Morton said that Arizona's new law targeting illegal immigration is not "good government." The law makes it a crime to be in the state illegally and requires police to check suspects for immigration paperwork.

Morton said his agency will not necessarily process illegal immigrants referred to them by Arizona officials. The best way to reduce illegal immigration is through a comprehensive federal approach, not a patchwork of state laws, he said.

"I don't think the Arizona law, or laws like it, are the solution," Morton said. (oavila@tribune.com)

Huh? Let me try and understand this: in Illinois, they are going to ferret out employers who are employing illegal workers, and will deport said workers. Okay. But they will NOT necessarily deport illegal immigrants if they come from the state of Arizona? And that would be WHY, exactly?

Passing laws that attempt to enforce Federal laws are "not the solution"? Enforcing federal laws is not the solution? Arizona law adds nothing more to its law than those already on the books on a Federal level. So is Morton saying Federal law should not be enforced? Wowie zowie, that can open a whole new can of worms.

Moreover, it IS a crime to be in a state, Arizona or Illinois, or any of the other 48 states illegally, not to mention the COUNTRY. So how is that not "good government" for Arizona to try and enforce the law?? The sheer hoops and loops Morton is jumping through with his political double-speak and incredibly faulty logic to emulate Obama's poltiically motived attacks on Arizona are just laughable.

But I bet Arizona isn't laughing.