The Big Lie on the Arizona Immigration Law

By John Eastman

President Barack Obama says that the new Arizona immigration law threatens "to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans." Liberal newspapers across the country have claimed that the bill authorizes racial profiling and intrudes on the federal government's control over immigration policy.

They should all read the law that was actually passed. It does no such thing.

They should all read the law that was actually passed. It does no such thing,

First, the federal government has, for decades, refused to secure our border with Mexico. It is no wonder that states have grown frustrated with spending billions providing services to people who are here illegally. Finally, Arizona acted in a bipartisan fashion + but far from acting irresponsibly as the radical left claims, Arizona reacted by passing responsible legislation. The new law specifically provides that law enforcement officers "may not solely consider race, color or national origin" in determining whether "reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States." It requires verification of lawful immigration status for all those who have been arrested, not just those who are suspected of being unlawfully present in the United States. And it is expressly tied to federal immigration law, giving lie to the claim that Arizona is charting its own course on federal immigration policy.

Arizona is simply seeking to enforce federal laws already on the books in order to protect its own citizens from the crime and fiscal crisis that has resulted from lax or non-enforcement by the federal government. The people of Arizona are on the front lines, not some government official back in an office in Washington, D.C. The President, our nation's chief executive, should be applauding Arizona's commitment to the rule of law, not using its latest action to score cheap political points. As Attorney General, I will aggressively enforce federal immigration law in our state as well, lest Arizona's response to illegal immigration simply shift more of the problem to California.