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'On the Record' panel examines the lawsuit filed by 10 ICE agents against the Homeland Security secretary
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Another Obama administration cabinet member getting dragged to court first it was attorney general Eric Holder -- by congress and now Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano.
Federal immigration agents are suing sector and a pop tunnel an ice director John Morton.
How the ice agents say -- new federal program is keeping them from doing their jobs came -- forcing them to break the law.
The program allows many young illegal immigrants to avoid deportation that prevents ice agents -- from arresting them.
The agents lawyers accusing the Obama administration up playing politics and joining us our political panel Steve Hayes of the weekly standard Casey -- from the associated press and Ed O'Keefe from the Washington Post these first -- this is he legal story horses really -- it.
A political story I think it's both actually and that's not a cap I mean it's illegal sort of -- I think that this complaint said that you hear from these agents.
How legitimate complaints they believe that they were hired to do the job they're being told about they can't do -- a kid with the way that they.
Think that they should be able to do it and so they've got a beef and there's no question I think that at the very least the president seems to have stretched the bounds of his executive authority.
In doing what he's doing.
Having said that it quickly becomes a political -- and I think the reason in all likelihood that the president did what he did was.
To curry favor with Hispanic voters in the year when Hispanic voters -- likely -- matter quite a bit.
And the reaction to this given the fact that the lead attorney.
It's an advisor or part time advisor to Mitt Romney's campaign and that the Romney campaign has issued a statement -- -- -- doesn't embrace.
The -- entirely but doesn't reject -- entirely suggests that there's a lot of politics at play here too.
Casey think could be bad governor Romney campaign is thinks that this is something that enhances its campaign -- -- -- run from this -- Well it's pretty difficult bashing for that I mean they've definitely softened their rhetoric on immigration since we moved from the primary election into the general on they have to be really careful about.
Trying to appeal to those two Latino voters -- -- to make a big difference here and you've seen.
The Obama campaign try to make Chris -- -- -- the advisor into something on the villain as someone who is the architect of these.
Harsh immigration laws in places like Arizona where we've seen this big fight over SP 1070 so they are clearly treading very carefully and in sort of working to make sure that there is talking about it in a way that's not going to offend the people that they -- -- they're gonna need in November and what do think that the Obama campaign thought when they found out this is -- and then a lawyer as Steve pointed out is an advisor -- part time advisor doesn't Mitt Romney can't.
-- and he also secretary of state and Kansas right so he's he's if he's that's -- Political official who yes is an advisor in the Romney camp -- architect of -- SB 1070 right so it's I mean clearly this is you know there there are concerns -- concerns for her political considerations you as well and I think.
The administration's point has always been.
We would prefer to focus on these criminals and others who have records who should be sent home first vs these younger.
People who who do not have criminal records and who perhaps it's just not.
Shown up and you know cause problems and yes that is political and it certainly isn't isn't hat tip to the Hispanic population in the country who's clearly leaning in their direction.
But I think the other slips out of this than anyone might argue is look no matter what you think when immigration.
The folks across the street to -- I'm talking about this and there's enough money and resources of the immigration and customs enforcement to enforce that.
Laws -- the policy is no matter what so until there's a broader conversation about that.
You know it didn't -- The fights are gonna happen.
They -- -- -- this topic on Capitol Hill.
Well you know it's it's one of those things where -- you -- Obama struggling with us throughout the beginning of his.
First -- as you know he was pressured to pass a version of the DREAM Act which is essentially.
You know in part what this does it only gives you know some -- illegal immigrants were brought here as children the opportunity to stay which is.
Here's something what that legislation -- -- accomplish and he took a lot of heat from.
His face and Latino groups for not doing more than he dead and this was a way you know shortly before we really got into the heat of the election season to take some steps in that direction.
-- -- Myanmar and.
