Holder: U.S. May Fight Arizona Immigration Law

Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano were critical Tuesday of Arizona's new law on immigration and Holder said the federal government may challenge it.

Napolitano said the new state law could siphon federal money and staff from hunting down dangerous immigrants.

The critical comments by the nation's top law enforcement official and the Cabinet secretary responsible for preventing terrorist attacks on U.S. soil came four days after Arizona's governor signed a law designed to crack down on illegal aliens.

Arizona's new law is subject to potential abuse, Holder told a news conference. The law -- which takes effect this summer - allows police to question anyone about their immigration status if they have reason to suspect they are in the country illegally, and makes it a state crime if they are.

The Justice Department and the Homeland Security Department are reviewing the state law.

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A number of options are under consideration including "the possibility of a court challenge," Holder said in response to questions on the Arizona law posed during a news conference on another topic.

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Napolitano said the office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement fears it will have to use its stretched resources to deal with those arrested under Arizona's new law.

"We have some deep concerns with the law .. it will detract from and siphon resources that we need to concentrate on those in the country illegally, those who have committed the most serious crimes," Napolitano said.

President Barack Obama has instructed the Justice Department to examine the Arizona law that he said last week threatens to "undermine basic notions of fairness." He also is pressing anew for national immigration legislation, saying, "If we continue to fail to act at a federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country."

[peter776-2009]

First our Attorney General shows up to testify in Congress about SB1070, and admits that he -- like our Director of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano -- has not even read it. Then in response to enormous political pressure from Congress and elsewhere, Obama sends 1,200 piddly troops to the border with no authority to do anything. This is followed by Holder staging a little dog and pony show with cherry-picked police chiefs from around the country who are in lock step with Obama's opposition to SB1070. Then they have a "meeting" where the police chiefs voice their "concerns." Finally, the event ends with a phony "press conference" where (surprise) the hand-picked "progressive" police chiefs express their "opposition" to SB1070. Now Holder will have the Justice Department challenge a law passed by a state that is actually trying to do something about illegal immigration. Meanwhile Obama, Holder and Napolitano cannot be bothered to articulate just what steps they might take at some indeterminate point in the future to deal with illegal immigration, other than to legalize everyone who is here illegally. The transparent political gimmickery of the Obama administration with respect to the issue of illegal immigration is truly sickening. Our government is broken. Obama and Holder are only interested in their radical and aggessive agenda, one that will bankrupt the middle class and transfer our wealth to tens of millions of largely illiterate, uneducated, unskilled, "legalized" poor people. Obama and Holder do not understand that they are supposed to represent you and me. Instead they choose to represent illegal aliens who do not even possess the right to be in our country, let alone vote. Too bad I voted for Obama. Many of us will not be making the same mistake again. The American people are not as stupid as Obama thinks. He'll find that out in November.

[jayjay4142]

If I were a politician running for any kind of office, I wouldn't touch this subject with a ten-foot pole if there was any way I could avoid it. I have read a lot of comments on different sites and it seems to me more people approve of this law than those who do not.

[APACHE_NATIVE]

If your not Native American or American Indian. You an Immigrant. If you had let Native Americans run the government then Arizona wouldn't be in this chaos. I just like to laugh at this. But anyways I think that this law is a pretty one. At least Arizona stepped up to the plate and said " Hey, were tired of illegal immigrants coming into this country and sending them back to were they came from", because there is too many of them in Arizona and it's very obvious to tell who is illegal. If you head down to Phoenix and you see this guy that looks homeless and mexican. You would try to talk to him in english and he wouldn't understand you. You would easily tell he is here illegally. And checking for documentation! Coming on people. You wouldn't want to go to the airport and fly to China without a passport or visa. You wouldn't drive a car without a drivers licenses. It's just that simple to carry documentation. GEEZ people should learn how to carry these things around when they come to America. Like me, I always carry my identification card. That shows Im an American citizen.

[EGYPTSBLESSING]

NO OFFENSE BUT UMM INDIANS LOOK KINDA MEXICAN SO YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO BE RACIALLY PROFILLED LOL

[ElBunto]

Regardless of one's personal views of the Arizona law, It is a State's rights issue. Each State has the final responsibility to secure itself, and its people. The Federal gov't has done nothing to stop the illegal crossing of Mexican nationals into the United States. Arizona has decided to take the steps it, and its people deem necessary to insure their security. People elsewhere may protest, and fulminate about it, The present Administration may harumpf,and posture, and say they will look into stopping it. But in the end, there may be nothing they can do about it.Arizona, and it's people have their rights too.

[tim2012]

Go to youtube and check out - cost of illegal immigration - do illegal immigrants help or hinder economic growth - mexican gangs taking over america -new haven ct vietnam veterans memorial - what the local news doesn't show you - border patrol.

[PANCHITOPERAZA]

I am a first generation American. My parents came to this country in the late 1960s to escape Fidel Castro and Communism in Cuba. I can certainly sympathize with anyone who wants to come to this great country in search of a better life. However, the laws of this country need to be respected by everyone including those who want to come and live here. The laws must also be enforced by both the federal government and local authorities. I found the remarks made by the President of Mexico the other day to be outrages. Does anyone know what Mexico?s immigration laws are??? What a joke! Now the left in this country is going to paint a picture of families being torn apart. They are also going to say that this is nothing but racism. In my opinion they are just thinking about the millions of potential Democrats that they stand to gain if they can somehow grant these people amnesty. They will never talk about the burden that these illegal aliens are to the healthcare systems, school systems, and law enforcement/corrections systems of some of these states. I really hope to see other states follow Arizona?s lead.

[candleangel]

I am sad and sorry that half truths are being told and if we don't agree with the
illegal immigrants we are called racist. I feel that are borders are in a state of
emergency and we are divided. I have the right to say that our laws for illegals
need to be respected and up held, we don't need more laws but we do need the laws
we have enforced. Americans need to know that millions of immigrants get citizenship
every year and thats not counting the work visa. As a United State citizens we are
doing more then our part and not getting no credit for that. As I am a United State citizen I have done just about every job that any immigrant has done or do. It is shameful that illegal immigrants do not have to follow the same laws as Americans. Illegal immigrants don't pay federal income taxes they pay state because they are here in our country. Why should the United State of American carry the sole burden of this matter, Mexico is not a poor country its leaders have not been made to be accountable for there own people. It is sicking that the United States and Mexico
politics cares so little about the people that built these two countries, I can't say which country I am more angry at. We need to wake up and speak up about how to
fix this problem because what is happening is not working for either country.
But I will say again we as American citizens need to support the illegal immigration laws that we have put in places 'that means vote out anyone that does not respect our laws.'

[sdf2012]

According to this site on US immigration laws, Holder, as US Attorney General would be violating US immigration laws if he doesn't support removing illegals from the US. Any US AG who doesn't know US laws should be removed from office.

http://vlex.com/vid/sec-apprehension-and-detention-aliens-19271950
http://vlex.com/source/us-code-aliens-nationality-1007/page/5

[huffie04]

dominiquepearl you say you can guarantee that there are immigrants in our families but the difference is they did it legally, they weren't criminals like the present day law breakers,if you want to come to our country do it through the front door not sneaking through the back door. It doesn't matter how you package it they are still illegals.

[miletas82]

This another Marxist move by Obama. Since when does the Federal government go after a State government and LAW? Just because Obama and his Democrat cronies are mad that Arizona finally went after the problem, they're trying to reverse the decision. The people need to stand up and tell this President NO!

People, this can't continue. A Federal government who wants to control everything is wrong. America is not a dictatorship. We are a democracy and the people in office better realize they're there to serve the people and our interest, not themselves. Come November, maybe they'll understand. It's time to rid the country of corrupt politicians.