Feds in Arizona Taking On More Drug Cases, but Also Rejecting More"

In the article (5/13/2010) on Foxnews, Arizona has seen a raise in federal drug prosecutions while the rest of the country has seen a fall. Arizona has seen a 202 percent jump in drug prosecutions since 2008. The rest of the country has seen a 17 percent drop. Federal prosecutors, who are struggling to handle a rapid rise in immigration cases along the Southwest border, turn down prosecutions in Arizona more than anywhere else in the country. This happens despite the increase in funding and staffing and looser restrictions on when they can help. Last year, federal prosecutors turned down 1,368 prosecutions. In 2008, only 603 prosecutions were rejected. Cases are commonly rejected due to a lack of prosecutorial or investigative resources. The report says, "The large number of drug cases being turned away suggests that there are serious stresses on some federal prosecutor offices... A likely major source for these strains is the powerful flood of immigrations that has washed over the region."

"In reality, we are taking more drug cases than ever before, and working in partnership with state and local agencies to make progress," spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle told FoxNews.com. Part of the reason for this increase is the drop on the requirement of only handling cases where a bust resulted in 500 pounds or more of confiscated contraband. Many local officials are glad to see federal prosecutors taking more federally-related cases now. "We're pleased that the federal prosecutor's office is able to handle all the federally related cases now," she said. But she added that the policy shift has not resulted in a lighter workload for the state. "Our office budget due to the state of the economy has been slashed," she said. "And we have a very difficult time keeping up with the workload."

This article reaffirms my belief that Arizona does have authority to pass immigration laws in their state. Arizona has a lot of work to do just in the area of drug trade. Passing more immigration laws may be a way for Arizona to start getting a grasp on their new and growing problems. Arizona is an exception in the nation in terms of immigration so one law for the whole nation may not suit Arizona. If state laws are a faster solution for their problems, then I believe they are not crossing the divide between state and federal government.

Photo credit: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/11/strain-arizonas-legal/

By SHatcher and LAmbrose