Our own Reliable Troll TM tried to stir the pot in the comments section of my previous post by noting that no one at WizBang had commented on US District Judge Susan Bolton’s infuriating ruling Wednesday, which largely neutralized Arizona’s attempt to enforce Federal immigration law. Arizona has already filed an appeal.
Judge Bolton essentially ruled that Arizona could not enforce existing immigration law because such enforcement would place a “burden” on Federal authorities and interfere with their “priorities.” Specifically, Brewer struck down the provision in Arizona’s controversial law requiring law enforcement officers to check the immigration status of suspects in cases where there is probable cause to assume that they may be illegal aliens. She also struck down Arizona’s requirement for resident aliens to carry ID papers with them at all times, and ruled that immigrants (regardless of immigration status) are free to congregate in public places in order to solicit work.
Two thoughts come to mind. First, Judge Bolton’s decision reveals with stunning clarity the Obama Administration’s position that immigration law is simply not worth enforcing. That puts the United States in a unique position among civilized nations. Will the same people who have apparently succeeded in pushing immigration law enforcement onto the sidelines here in the US now turn their attention to Canada and Mexico? Since it’s now obviously “racist” to ask someone to show their immigration papers, will the next target be the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative? Will the Mexican government be accused of racism and will protesters demand an end to Mexico’s strict capture and deportation procedures for Central and South American aliens who enter Mexico illegally? Those people have dark skin too, don’t they?
Second, since Judge Bolton has now established a precedent for ordering and end to the enforcement of laws that place undue burdens on Federal agencies, conservatives should start putting it to good use. For example, I think that enforcing the Federal health insurance mandate would place a serious undue burden on the Internal Revenue Service and hinder their ability to perform their primary duty, which is the collection of tax monies from businesses and individuals. I also believe that the new financial reform bill will place an undue burden on government agencies due to the thousands of businesses that will suddenly find themselves regulated as entities doing business that is “financial in nature.” You know, come to think of it it’s probably fair to say that the Obama Administration has placed innumerable undue burdens throughout the Federal government due to its avaricious and unprecedented power grabs.
Perhaps this is the antidote to the Democrats’ “mad duck” legislative session that might transpire in the wake of heavy election losses this November — obtain a judicial ruling that new laws or regulations place an undue burden on the government or significantly interfere with its priorities, and *poof* no one can enforce them any more. Four years of Barack Obama and the Democrats in the trash can, practically overnight.
You know, I’m really beginning to like this judicial activism thing …
