Federal District Judge Susan Bolton issued a 36-page decision blocking enforcement of key provisions to the controversial Arizona immigration law.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, Republican candidate for governor, said Wednesday, “Judge Bolton should either stop blocking law enforcement from doing their job or order the federal government to do theirs.
“The federal government refuses to secure our borders and now they are punishing Arizona for protecting themselves from illegal immigration.
“People who are here illegally, but working, are not only taking jobs in a time when opportunities are scarce, but they must commit identity theft to be employed, which is another violation of the law. This judge just gave illegal immigrants amnesty by impeding the local police from doing their job.”
Bouchard says he was first to stand with Arizona in April, applauding them for using their state rights. Since, Bouchard has strongly advocated urging the Obama administration to end its lawsuit.
Just this week, Sheriff Joe Arpaio endorsed Bouchard for governor:
“As Michigan’s next governor, Mike will work to stop the flow of illegal immigrants in our country and secure Michigan’s borders. Mike Bouchard is a strong leader and a straight shooter.”
U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, from Washington said after the federal judge blocked the main elements of Arizona’s new law that requires state law enforcement to enforce federal law:
“The ruling is judicial activism at its worst. So long as Washington fails to address the issue, states should have the freedom to enforce their own laws.
“Violence and drug trafficking have long been a serious problem along Arizona’s border and the state’s legislature determined it necessary to respond.
“Congress has for years abdicated its responsibility to pass meaningful immigration reform, so states have deemed it necessary to act by themselves and an unelected judge should not block their efforts,” commented Hoekstra, who also seeks the Republican nomination for governor Tuesday.
A third gubernatorial candidate, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, severely criticized Bolton’s ruling barring S.B. 1070 from taking effect today as intended by Gov. Jan Brewer and the Arizona legislature.
Cox led a coalition of nine states that filed an amicus brief supporting Arizona’s law on July 14.
“Today’s ruling is a slap in the face to citizens who are trying to exercise their sovereignty and protect their borders,” Cox said.
“As this case moves forward, we will continue to stand with the citizens of Arizona and Gov. Brewer as they fight to defend their borders and confront the problem of illegal immigration.”
Bolton ruled parts of sections 2 and 5 and all of sections 3 and 6 of the Arizona immigration law be barred from going into effect pending the outcome of the Obama administration’s lawsuit.
Affected provisions include parts of the law requiring police to determine the immigration status at lawful stops when they have reasonable suspicion individuals are in the country illegally and the measure creating a state crime for failing to possess immigration documents.
Cox stated he will continue to support Brewer should she appeal the decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Michigan is joined in backing Arizona by Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and a U.S. territory, the Northern Mariana Islands.
The amicus brief, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, defends the state’s authority to concurrently enforce federal immigration laws, especially in light of the “selective and even lack of enforcement of those laws by the Obama administration,” according to Cox. “Under the current situation, the states have lost control over their borders and are left to guess at the reality of the law.”
In December 2007, Cox issued a formal attorney general’s opinion ending Michigan’s practice of granting driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.