Brief for 9 states backs Arizona immigration law
By David Runk – AP – July 15, 2010
DETROIT – States have the authority to enforce immigration laws and protect their borders, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox said Wednesday in a legal brief on behalf of nine states supporting Arizona’s immigration law.
Cox, one of five Republicans running for Michigan governor, said Michigan is the lead state backing Arizona in federal court and is joined by Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia, as well as the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Arizona law, set to take effect July 29, directs officers to question people about their immigration status during the enforcement of other laws such as traffic stops and if there’s a reasonable suspicion they’re in the U.S. illegally.
President Barack Obama’s administration recently filed suit in federal court to block it, arguing immigration is a federal issue. The law’s backers say Congress isn’t doing anything meaningful about illegal immigration, so it’s the state’s duty to step up. “Arizona, Michigan and every other state have the authority to enforce immigration laws, and it is appalling to see President Obama use taxpayer dollars to stop a state’s efforts to protect its own borders,” Cox said in a statement.
Arizona’s Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, in a statement released by Cox’s office, said she was thankful for the support. In a telephone interview, Cox said the nine states supporting Arizona represents “a lot of states,” considering it was only Monday that he asked other state attorneys general to join him. The brief was filed in U.S. District Court in Arizona on the same day as the deadline for such filings.
“By lawsuit, rather than by legislation, the federal government seeks to negate this preexisting power of the states to verify a person’s immigration status and similarly seeks to reject the assistance that the states can lawfully provide to the Federal government,” the brief states.
The brief doesn’t represent the first time Cox has clashed with the Obama administration. Earlier this year, he joined with more than a dozen other attorneys general to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of federal health care changes signed into law by the Democratic president.
Like with his stance on health care, the immigration brief again puts Cox at odds with Democratic Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Granholm, who can’t seek re-election because of term limits, disagrees with the Arizona law, her press secretary Liz Boyd said. The Michigan primary is less than three weeks away on Aug. 3. “It’s a patently political ploy in his quest for the Republican nomination for governor,” Boyd said.
Mike Cox, Michigan Attorney General
*****
And to that, I say “Good for Cox!”
Mike Cox for Governor of Michigan, 2010!
For his campaign website, CLICK HERE.
~Eowyn
Well, Steve–one of the islands just south is called San Jose–Maybe the Mexis are swimming there thinking it’s part of California…
I was not aware that Florida is supporting Arizona. I’m happy to hear that because Bill McCollum (running for governor of FL) stated he opposed the AZ law.
Let me ask a rhetorical question:
If I am speeding in my car, and I get pulled over by a policeman, do I have to show him my driver’s license, registration, and insurance card? If I have to prove my identity to the policeman, why doesn’t every illegal have to prove their identity if they are breaking the law?
This is a double-standard, folks. Get used to it as long as this administration is in power.
Muffin,
Let me answer a rhetorical question. If I, as an officer pull you over for some supposed indiscretion, I can check all that you mentioned, but questioning your citizenship has always been a no-no, at least not until Arizona law goes into effect. The federal law gives Arizona the right to question citizenship, as does the Arizona law. The problem is the feds want it both ways. They want to be the ones to enforce the law, not the states.
This is a political move on the part of the feds and nothing more. It’s a diversion to keep the American people talking about something that has little or no meaning while the administration moves on with passing legislation that is really unconstitutional.
Let’s face it, the heat is off Obama for the Gulf and his Obamacare is moving right along with its $11 trillion dollar price tag. Smoke and guns–this guy is playing the American people and they’re falling for it…
I work w/several people of foreign nations and they have to carry their work visas with them AT ALL TIMES. They are advised they may be asked to provide proof of citizenship.
So why do we do advise them of that if the states can ask for proof of citizenship? Guess I might ask our HR person about that…