Monday, June 25, 2012

Taking their ball and going home

"The Obama administration said Monday it is suspending existing agreements with Arizona police over enforcement of federal immigration laws, and said it has issued a directive telling federal authorities to decline many of the calls reporting illegal immigrants that the Homeland Security Department may get from Arizona police."

(Washington Times)

This is a proudly raised middle finger to America by the feds in direct response to today's Supreme Court ruling allowing law enforcement officers to attempt to ascertain the immigration status of people already being investigated for other offenses whom they reasonably believe are in the country illegally.  For instance, resident aliens under current Federal law must have their immigration papers with them at all times.  Why is it so wrong, then, for police to investigate why someone given a ticket for a traffic violation or accident has no driver's license or ID that any normal citizen must produce, along with other indicators of unlawful immigration status?

Once again, as we have seen in so many other arenas (Defense of Marriage Act, internet gambling, marijuana, voter intimidation laws and unilaterally granting waivers to No Child Left Behind, among others), the Obama administration has basically abrogated its responsibility to enforce the laws on the books, this time by refusing to respond to calls for service from local police agencies who arrest illegal immigrants for committing other crimes.

We vehemently disagree with most of these statutes; the fact remains, however, that they are valid laws until repealed by Congress or stuck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and thus must be enforced the same as any other rule.  Otherwise one rapidly experiences anarchy and chaos, which on second thought is probably exactly what Mr. Obama wants.  That way he gets to swoop in and make up even more fanciful policies all on his own to ostensibly "clean up the mess", just like any other good tyrant.

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