The State of Arizona on Thursday filed a suit against the federal government over failure to secure the border and protect Arizona citizens, Governor Brewers office announced today.
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 10 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.
On Jan Brewer Facebook page, she made this statement:
"I just announced that today I filed suit against the federal government due to its constitutional failure to secure the border and protect Arizona citizens and all Americans from foreign invasion. My message for the federal government is simple: Use federal resources to attack the cartels that are breaking federal law. Don't attack Arizona, which is helping to enforce federal law.
We did not want this fight. We did not start this fight. But now that we’re in it, we will not rest until our border is secured. Today I answered the merits of the Obama administration's lawsuit regarding SB1070 and submitted a counterclaim against the federal government. 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."
