The Obama Justice Department has launched an unprecedented legal assault on Arizona’s attempts to stem the tide of illegal immigration, filing at least three lawsuits against Arizona and other state officials and entities. Supporters of Arizona’s actions argue that the lawsuits not only ignore conditions on the ground in Arizona, but also will make them worse. Are Arizona’s actions justified and constitutional? Do they violate civil rights? Are the lawsuits filed by Justice driven by politics or legal considerations? And what effect will they have on federal enforcement and border security? To discuss the problems faced by officials in Arizona, we will have Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever, who is on the law enforcement frontlines every day in Arizona. Kris Kobach, former chief advisor on immigration law and border security at the U.S. Justice Department – and who helped draft Arizona’s law – will discuss the legal implications of the lawsuits along with Hans von Spakovsky, former Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at Justice.
UPDATE: The event is now over. We will post the archived video on the Foundry as soon as we get it.
UPDATE 2: The full video of the event is now posted. Please enjoy.
