Around the time in June when a crucial U.S. Supreme Court ruling is expected on ObamaCare, the high court also is likely to rule on Arizona's sensible law against illegal immigration.
If the justices strike down ObamaCare but uphold the Arizona law, it would be a double-whammy defeat for the Obama administration, which is unconstitutionally expanding the reach of government through ObamaCare while ironically abandoning the federal government's clear constitutional duty to protect the United States from illegal immigration.
The red tape, job destruction and budget-busting costs built into ObamaCare are amply documented. And those colossal weaknesses are not lost on the voting public: Of nearly 100 Rasmussen Reports surveys of likely voters since the 2010 law was enacted, only one found less than 50 percent support for repealing ObamaCare. The latest survey, at the end of April, showed 55 percent support for repeal compared with only 36 percent of likely voters who want to keep the law. Meanwhile, 56 percent justifiably believe ObamaCare will drive up medical costs. It is hardly surprising that the passage of ObamaCare is widely believed to have been a -- if not the -- key cause of Democrats' historic losses in the 2010 elections.
And what of Arizona's immigration law, on which states including Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina have roughly patterned laws of their own, only to see them blocked by activist courts?
Well, consider for yourself how "mean" the Arizona law is. Among the issues the Supreme Court is considering is a provision calling for immigration status to be checked when officers lawfully stop someone and have reasonable suspicion that the person is an illegal immigrant. In a state such as Arizona, which is overrun by illegal aliens who consume taxpayer-funded benefits such as uncompensated medical care, it's hard not to see the wisdom of using a legal stop as a means to ensure that someone is in this country lawfully.
The law also says illegal aliens may not work in Arizona. What could be more reasonable? Cheap illegal alien labor suppresses wages for U.S. citizens and lawful immigrants. And the availability of work for unlawful immigrants keeps drawing them across the border. It may well be true that fewer are coming here in the current weak economy, but it is reckless to let that lull us into a false sense of security. Rest assured that when the economy (finally) sees significant improvement and jobs return, the deluge of illegal border crossings will resume with a vengeance.
It is mildly encouraging that in hearings on Arizona's law, the justices seemed receptive to key parts of the law. A ruling upholding the legislation -- and implicitly rebuking the Obama administration's decision to curtail enforcement of federal immigration law -- would be a victory for justice and common sense.
And coupled with the well-deserved rejection of ObamaCare, it would strike a vital blow for the rule of law and for limited government.