Saturday, May 22, 2010

Krauthammer: John Morton and Arizona Law

Charles Krauthammer comments on John Morton's assertion that his agency may not enforce the Arizona law.

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.

...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.

Video, Krauthammer's take:



CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: I think it's a perfect example of the arrogance and the near lawlessness of this administration. Look, the Constitution requires the federal government ensure that every state have a Republican government, a Republican form of government. Last time I checked, Arizona does.

There is no allegation that the immigration law in Arizona was passed in any way other than legally. There were no procedural problems with it. If the president doesn't like it, well, he's got an option. He can instruct the Department of Justice to go and have a judge strike it down. And if he likes, he can get an injunction. In the meantime, that will suspend it until the constitutionality is ruled upon. In the meantime, it's as legal a law as any other law in the land. And for the executive but to say we're going to ignore it, or we're going to unenforce immigration essentially in this state on account of this, is... it's lawless.

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