September 7, 2010
ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed an important friend of the court brief last Thursday in support of the critical parts of Arizona’s immigration law (SB 1070). Federal District Court Judge Susan Bolton had held the law unconstitutional.
Also joining in the brief were the Society of Americans for National Existence and the Center for Security Policy, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit think tank dealing with matters relating to national security.
The central point of the friend of the court brief is that under our Constitution, “the State of Arizona retains the independent and paramount authority to enact and enforce laws related to illegal immigration, for the purpose of protecting its citizens;” and the executive branch has no authority to prevent Arizona from exercising this sovereign power by its policy of non-enforcement. [Click here to read entire brief]
It is undisputed that Arizona is under assault by illegal immigrants, as evidenced by the federally advised “no-go zones” just miles outside of Arizona’s major metropolitan areas. It is also clear that the federal government refuses to carry out its responsibility to enforce the existing laws aimed at protecting America’s borders from the invasion of illegal immigrants that cross over from Mexico into Arizona and other border states.
Despite the federal government’s admission that it could not fulfill its congressionally- mandated responsibility of safeguarding America’s borders, on July 28, 2010 Judge Bolton ruled that federal law preempted Arizona’s own effort to protect its citizens from an epidemic of violent crimes caused by thousands of illegal immigrants within its borders.
Moreover, in an unprecedented insult to American citizens, and particularly to the citizens of Arizona, the U.S. State Department cited the Arizona law as an example of America’s need to improve its record on “human rights,” in a first ever report to the UN Commission on Human Rights.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “It’s clear that for purely partisan political reasons, the Obama administration is doing everything it can to prevent Arizona from protecting its citizens from the onslaught of violence caused by illegal immigrants. This administration once again revealed its incompetence when Attorney General Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano accused Arizona of racial profiling and had to later admit they had not even read the immigration law. It’s the duty of every patriotic American to support Arizona on this issue.”
The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America. The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.