Arizona files suit against federal government over failure to secure border

2011-02-11 06:36:52 GMT+7 (ICT)

PHOENIX, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) -- Arizona on Thursday filed a suit against the federal government over failure to secure the border and protect Arizona citizens, the Office of the Governor announced.

The suit was filed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Attorney General Tom Horne the constitutional failure of protecting Arizona residents from the negative effects of illegal immigration.

"Our message for the federal government is simple: Use federal resources to combat the cartels that are breaking federal law," said Governor Brewer.

Arizona answered the merits of the Obama administration's lawsuit regarding the controversial Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (SB1070) and submitted a counterclaim against the federal government.

Arizona's counterclaim includes five points regarding the failures of the federal government. The state claims that the U.S. government failed to gain operational control of the border; enforce multiple federal immigration laws; protect it from economic harms and violence associated with illegal immigration.

In addition, Arizona alleges that the government was negligent in not reimbursing Arizona for more than $760 million in combined costs for the incarceration of illegal aliens under the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.

The last point of the counterclaim accuses the federal government of seeking to pre-empt Arizona from its constitutional right and duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of its own citizens.

"By using its alleged 'pre-emption' rights to stop Arizona from performing its law enforcement obligations, the United States is violating Arizona's 10th Amendment rights," said Attorney General Horne.

Governor Brewer said that despite claims by the Obama Administration that the southern border is more secure that ever, residents of the region are still victims of smuggling and cartel violence.

"Our citizens have lived with this dark cloud for too long. It's time for the federal government to do its job and secure the border," said Brewer.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-11

Met a guy from Arizona who told me that there is a crime wave in Phoenix that is spreading to the surrounding areas. He attributed this to the influx of illegals coming over the border.

His family owns several large tracts of land which they prospect for semi-precious stones. He related incidences where trespassers have followed him for days at a time. According to him they were planning to rob him. So for now he has given up working his rock collecting.