State of Arizona Gains Traction Over Immigration Bill Debate After Court Ruling Friday

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and the state of Arizona get some of its mojo back, after receiving a favorable ruling,yesterday, in US District Court:

After suffering a major legal setback in the summer, Arizona regained its footing in court Friday when a federal judge dismissed parts of the U.S. Justice Department's challenge to the state's new immigration law and rejected several claims made by Hispanic activists and Phoenix police officers.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton's ruling on Friday struck down the federal government's challenge to the portion of the law that prohibits the transport of illegal immigrants.

It also rejected a challenge from Phoenix police officers and an advocacy group called Chicanos Por La Causa who argued that the cops could be sued for racial profiling if they enforced the law or lose their jobs if they didn't.
Bolton agreed with Arizona that they had no valid claim of immediate harm.

Bolton also dismissed a lawsuit from the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders who were seeking an injunction preventing authorities from enforcing the law because the group argued federal law pre-empts state regulation of national borders.

"I am pleased with today's decision," Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said in a statement Friday. "I strongly believe that the citizens of Arizona will ultimately prevail in all of these legal challenges. My defense of the rule of law will continue as vigorously as ever.”

This is an important development in the impending court case that was brought by the US Justice Department, earlier this year. It will allow local authorities to be able to move prisoners and greatly lowers the chance of officers and police departments being sued for racial profiling, if the question and hold suspects for illegal immigration violations. The judge, also, backed the notion brought up by the Arizona governor that states have every right to protect their borders just as the federal government does.

However, the judge refused to reject the case entirely. Some of the more controversial aspects to the law are still able to be challenged in court sometime next year.

AZ Governor Blasts Obama Regarding Lack of Border Security in Latest Campaign Ad

In her latest campaign ad, the Arizona Governor blasted the president for not protecting our border especially in her state. Illegal immigration and the Mexican drug cartels have turned Southern Arizona into a “enter at your own risk” zone for Americans and, basically, ceded part of the state to the Mexican drug cartels. This spot is definitely a point-on criticism of the failure of Obama’s White House to protect its own citizens.

One might wonder why she’d spend her campaign funds on an ad that is going after the President and not her actual opponent in November, Terry Goddard (D). She must show that she is standing up to the federal government with this security issue. The violence at the border and throughout the state resulting from the drug cartels is very ranked high in among the most important issues that Arizonians are worried about this November. With this ad, she did a very good job here demonstrating her leadership in this issue.

Oh My: AZ Gov Brewer Argues Most Illegal Immigrants Are Drug Mules

Governor Brewer responded to questions on the illegal immigration bill saying that most illegals are drug smugglers:

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said Friday most illegal immigrants entering Arizona are being used to transport drugs across the border. Brewer said the motivation of "a lot" of the illegal immigrants is to enter the United States to look for work, but that drug rings press them into duty as drug "mules."

"I believe today, under the circumstances that we're facing, that the majority of the illegal trespassers that are coming into the state of Arizona are under the direction and control of organized drug cartels and they are bringing drugs in," Brewer said.

"There's strong information to us that they come as illegal people wanting to come to work. Then they are accosted and they become subjects of the drug cartel," she said.

While I agree with the law overall, this is a misguided attempt at explaining why we need border security. There is no doubt that there are some that are smuggling drugs into the country, and drug cartels are becoming an ever-increasing danger to American border agents, agents, and citizens around the border for some time. However, to use the blanket accusation that "most" are in danger is a bit too much. Most are looking for a better life than Mexico or other poverty-stricken country could ever provide them. The governor would be well-served to avoid overgeneralizations and demagoguery in the future.

Unfortunately, though, one bad apple ruins the whole bunch. We must know who's coming into our country because it only takes one suitcase nuke that terrorists could smuggle in to kill millions of innocent people. The border must be protected for the protection of us all. Both of the Bush and Obama administrations have let politics get in the way of our safety, and if the federal government keeps abdicating their responsibilities of guarding our borders, it must be up to the states and local governments to pick up the slack.