Illegal Entrants Undeterred Despite Napolitano Border Action

Arizona is a center of the debate on who is to address the illegal immigration problem. The legislature wants to take action to close the border to protect the people of Arizona. The Governor has allocated money to deal with the problems caused by the results of illegal border crossing, but is willing to wait for the Federal Government to step in to stem the flow.

While it is the responsibility of Washington to manage the border situation, but it has chosen to dismiss its urgency, the legislature is correct in seeking to take action now. There is no Constitutional impediment to the States doing the job that Washington won't do. The States would have an argument in court to be reimbursed for the cost.

The Governor's position though accurate is a prescription for disaster. The same attitude prevailed in New Orleans with the levies. They knew there were problems but were willing to wait for the Fed to get off its butt to address it. Meanwhile along comes Mother Nature and the city is left spending on clean up where they should have spent on prevention (theoretically as least, it does seem they what to also wait on the Fed for clean up). The same applies to Arizona's border problem. The Governor is willing to pay for fixing the problems caused by illegal immigration, but will find at some point that closing the border will be a more efficient method of dealing with the trouble caused by such activity.

The committee report, coming in an election year, highlights the difference between how some Republican legislators see the state role being versus the governor's vision.

That division was reinforced Thursday when the Senate gave preliminary approval to providing $15 million a year for the next five years to border communities. That money is specifically earmarked to help catch people who are in this country illegally.

There also are pending proposals — including one by Allen — to require the governor to deploy National Guard troops in Southern Arizona to stop people from crossing.

Napolitano's position on what the state should be doing is backed in a separate letter by the three Cochise County supervisor saying "our unified position that border security, enforcement and interdiction are the primary responsibility of the United States and Mexican federal governments."
Allen, however, does not see it that way.

He cited the testimony of Cochise County rancher Roger Barnett, who estimated he has turned over 12,000 border crossers to federal agents during a nine-year span. Barnett has been the target of three lawsuits accusing him of abusing or improperly detaining illegal entrants.

Escalating violence and the Mexican Government's assistance in using our own legal system against citizens of the US who are trying to protect the border suggests that a disaster is not far behind. The Governor would be wise to give up for now on the hope that Washington will take up its responsibility and get busy putting resources to work to shut down the crossings. Not to could lead to bitter regret.