Federal Government Sues Alabama for Attempting to Enforce Immigration Laws



The U.S. Department of Justice, playing the role of enforcer of the Obama administration’s non-enforcement policy, yesterday filed a lawsuit to prevent Alabama’s immigration law from taking effect on September 1. The federal government is asserting that the Alabama law – similar to the one enacted by Arizona in 2010 —oversteps a state’s law-making boundaries into exclusively federal territory.

The suit alleges that Alabama’s law violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which gives the federal government exclusive jurisdiction over immigration policy, laws and enforcement (or lack thereof). Even though a June 17 policy directive by the director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency makes it clear that the federal government has no intention to enforce its own immigration laws, the lawsuit demonstrates that the administration does not want states trying to do it for them. Attorney General Eric Holder said the lawsuit “makes clear that setting immigration policy and enforcing immigration laws is a national responsibility that cannot be addressed through a patchwork of state immigration laws.” But it has been, unfortunately, the administration’s unwillingness to exhibit any of that ‘national responsibility’ which has pushed states such as Alabama to try and take action itself.

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Content written by Federation for American Immigration Reform staff.

2 Comments

  1. avatar

    Yup, we are on our own. Obama can’t take the time or effort to enforce our laws (illegal immigration) but can take the time, money and effort to stop a state from trying to end this illegals plague which is costing our country so much! Out with them.Throw em out.Never stop, never give up. Out Out Out!

  2. avatar

    If the government is trying to enforce the laws, they are failing. You sell the guns to the cartels, Eric, and leave immigration law to the people it affects.