Welcome to Milwaukee Live

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Homeland Secretary Bashes Arizona Law - But Hasn't Even Read It

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano admitted Monday that she has not read the controversial Arizona immigration law even though she's gone on television to criticize it, and continued to assert that it was "bad law enforcement law."

The admission comes after Attorney General Eric Holder, who earlier warned the law could create a "slippery slope" toward racial profiling, told a House committee last week that he had not read the bill either. On Tuesday, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said he too had not read the bill, even as he defended diplomatic official Michael Posner for comparing the law to Chinese human rights violations.

Napolitano discussed the policy under questioning by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., during a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on the BP oil spill response.

"I have not reviewed it in detail. I certainly know of it," the former Arizona governor said when asked by McCain whether she had a chance to give the language a close look.

Nevertheless, Napolitano said, "That's not the kind of law I would have signed." Napolitano explained that she dealt with "laws of that ilk" in Arizona before and that most law enforcement groups were opposed to them. - FOX News Story

No comments: