Richardson: "Temporary Victory" on Arizona Law

(CBS)  A federal judge's decision to block key provisions of Arizona's controversial immigration enforcement law has renewed the debate about overhauling the nation's immigration policies.

Speaking to CBS' "The Early Show" Thursday, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) called the ruling "a temporary victory" and renewed his longstanding calls for a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would provide illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they meet various requirements.

"It's a correct decision because what the judge said was that Arizona law was interfering into federal responsibility," Richardson said, adding that the law could lead to racial profiling and damage American interests abroad. "What I see is a protracted fight that will go all the way to the Supreme Court."

But Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith that the real problem is the federal government's failure to enforce existing immigration laws.

"In many ways this is like prohibition. We had this law - no alcohol - and yet crime of all sorts was breaking out over the failure to enforce this," Issa said. "Now, unlike prohibition, we can enforce the border. We can enforce our work site responsibility."

Smith noted that the President Barack Obama has sent thousands more National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, but Issa maintained that, "Right now there's been no will by president after president to properly enforce the border or to enter in comprehensive immigration reform without this artificial, 'You've got to forgive all those who came here illegally and make them citizen-eligible.'"

More on the Arizona immigration law:

Judge Hands Victory to AZ Immigration Law Foes
Read Judge Bolton's Decision
Arizona Immigration Decision: Early Reaction
Ruling Accepts Administration's Main Arguments
Tension Builds As Arizona Immigration Law Looms
Arizona Helped Deport 26,000 without New Law
Ariz. Gov. Seeks Dismissal of Immigration Suit
Neo-Nazi Group Patrolling U.S. Border
Is Political Rhetoric Hurting Ariz. Tourism?

Richardson said that "what the president and others have proposed is not amnesty. Actually, it's accountability for the 11 million that are here." He noted that illegal immigrants would have to learn English, pass a background check, and "get to the back of the line behind those that are trying to get here legally" under any likely immigration reform bill.

"I put the blame on the Congress," Richardson said. "They have not dealt with comprehensive immigration reform."

Issa said that "the back of the line is 5.5 billion people that would like to come to America. So, it's very clear, if you go to the back of the line you'll never get to the front of the line."

[mrdavidkolds1]

Finally some GOOD news. But there's lots more to be done to get our country back.

Under Obama, More Illegal Immigrants Sent Home
by Scott Horsley NPR
July 28, 2010
Even as it challenges Arizona's get-tough approach to illegal immigration, the Obama administration has been waging a crackdown of its own. The federal government is quietly deporting hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants and scrutinizing hundreds of employers suspected of hiring them.
President Obama told an audience at American University this month that's while it's not possible to round up and deport all the illegal immigrants in the United States, his administration won't turn a blind eye to those who entered this country illegally.
"No matter how decent they are, no matter their reasons, the 11 million who broke these laws should be held accountable," Obama said.
In fact, the federal government under President Obama has steadily increased the deportation of illegal immigrants. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says it's on track to expel some 400,000 people this year, 8 percent more than 2008 ? the last year of the Bush administration.
In addition to deporting more immigrants, ICE is increasingly targeting those who've also broken other laws.
"More and more of the people we're removing are criminal aliens," said ICE spokesman Richard Rocha. "So that means they've been convicted of some sort of crime."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128826285

[NotPartyControlled]

We applaud the Arizona Governor, Senate & House for trying to do something positive for America and it's people. Let the Richardson and the other political panders say what they want to further their political careers. We know that in Arizona their hearts were in the right place and for the country. Everyone one else can make the talk show circuit and try to improve thier polling ratings with more talk and entertainment.

[sbbarnhart]

Bill Richardson, you are just plain dumb. Try to understand that you are in NEW Mexico, NOT Mexico.

[smitvict]

How can it be a "victory" when criminals are permitted to continue their illegal activity. And, if you violated the law, NO AMNESTY, go to the back of the line. That loon Richardson needs to be voted out!

[jnostromo]

Wait , the best is yet to come...You already have drug cartels that have taken over part os the southwest..wait until they start establishing rule in every neighborhood in every city in this country...Kiss America goodbye, but be prepared to fight for the lives of your family and friends in your very neighborhoods.. We don't have to worry about the chinese or terrorists, the destruction of this country has already started from within.

[afmcalax]

The only party that I see blocking any rational discussion on immigration reform is the Republican Party. They are getting their base riled up by their inaction. This is their policy of NO to Everything taken to the extreme. It is so much easier to be divisive than to actually govern and provide solutions. In 8 years of Bush the Republicans had no answers and while they are out of office they have even fewer. This is only going to be resolved by bi-partisan cooperation, but Republicans have abdicated their responsibilities to the country to make lowly political points.

[smitvict]

News Flash - Democrats are in charge now. Quit whining and blaming the minority party for Democratic inaction.

[jnostromo]

We are in the same position our forefathers found themselves in. We have a government that has no desire to protect it's citizens. We have a foreign drug army that has invaded American soil and threatens the legal authorities assigned the duty of protecting the citizens of this land. Legal immigration YES, Illegal immigration NO

"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. "

[krotec54]

Arizona should be suing the federal government for not doing their job. The federal government won?t do their job but won?t let the states do it either. What?s wrong with this picture? Illegal immigrants are a serious drain of government resources. Why is the federal government turning a blind eye to this?

[dhkluesner]

I am sorry that illegal aliens are in the position they are in, but there is a process to follow. We would all like to by pass the paperwork, but it doesn't work that way. This is just another area where the majority has no say. What happened to democracy? I thought he majority ruled. I hope this makes sense.

[nehicks]

How can you go to the back of the line, if you are already here? What is going to persuade these people to register with the U.S. goverment and "pay fines"? They know that the Feds won't pick them up and deport them, so where is the punishment if they don't? Living in NM, I have seen first hand what Richardson's policies of a sanctuary state have done to New Mexico. Our state is almost at the bottom of the list for education - mostly because all of our education money is going to teach illegal aliens which make up 30% or more of New Mexico population. Our health care services are stretched very thin, and running out of money; because of Richardson giving illegal aliens drivers licenses, we may not be able to get on a plane at our airport because a New Mexico drivers license doesn't come under approved National ID; the drivers licenses also allow these people to get food stamps, low income housing, welfare, etc. If these people don't register, a bus needs to drive thru the neighborhoods and pick them up, then drive directly to the border. We should not worry about sending them to court, as there is NO EXCUSE for being here without documentation.

[HemiHead66]

5.5 billion people on the list??? There's only 300+ million in the whole country now. China don't even come close ot that number. One thing I do know - these people that broke the law have no business being ahead of the people that waiting on line legally.