Obama's ICU: Immigration and Customs Unenforcement

Unbelievable.  From Fox News:

A top Department of Homeland Security official reportedly said his agency will not necessarily process illegal immigrants referred to them by Arizona authorities.

John Morton, assistant secretary of homeland security for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, made the comment during a meeting on Wednesday with the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune, the newspaper reports.

"I don't think the Arizona law, or laws like it, are the solution," Morton told the newspaper.

The best way to reduce illegal immigration is through a comprehensive federal approach, he said, and not a patchwork of state laws.

The law, which criminalizes being in the state illegally and requires authorities to check suspects for immigration status, is not "good government," Morton said.

In response to Morton's comments, DHS officials said President Obama has ordered the Department of Justice to examine the civil rights and other implications of the law.

"That review will inform the government's actions going forward," DHS spokesman Matt Chandler told Fox News on Friday.

Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said ICE is not obligated to process illegal immigrants referred to them by Arizona authorities.

"ICE has the legal discretion to accept or not to accept persons delivered to it by non-federal personnel," Napolitano said. "It also has the discretion to deport or not to deport persons delivered to it by any government agents, even its own."

Janet Napolitano, Morton's boss, made it clear that she's not interested in enforcing our immigration laws when she investigated her own ICE inspectors who in 2009 had the audacity to raid a small engine plant in Bellingham, Washington, and arrest 28 illegal immigrants working there.  (She also freed 27 of the illegals and promptly gave them employment authorization documents) for their trouble.  Now John Morton, the Director of ICE threatens not to process illegal immigrants referred by the state of Arizona?

This is clearly a case of capricious government by fiat.  Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions thinks the Obama administration is "nullifying existing law:"

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-AL, said it appeared the Obama administration is "nullifying existing law" and suggested Morton may not be the right person for his post if he fails to enforce federal immigration law.

"If he feels he cannot enforce the law, he shouldn't have the job," Sessions told Fox News. "That makes him, in my view, not fulfilling the responsibilities of his office."

Sessions said the U.S. government has "systematically failed" to enforce federal immigration law and claimed Morton's statement is an indication that federal officials do not plan on working with Arizona authorities regarding its controversial law.

"They're telegraphing to every ICE agency in America that they really don't intend on cooperating with Arizona," Sessions said. "The federal government should step up and do it. It's their responsibility."

It's no coincidence that John Morton first cut his immigation law teeth as Counsel to Clinton's Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, another Obama appointee who won't do his job.