Karl Rove wonders how federal policy stacks up against it. He relates an interesting answer in the latest Newsweek:
The Arizona law is so narrowly drawn that it?s hard to see how it will affect many people. Those whom it does concern will already have been stopped, detained, or arrested for other lawful purposes. Given Obama?s hyperventilation about the law, it?s fair to ask: what is Washington?s standard for allowing federal law enforcement to ask about immigration status?
When my office put this question to Customs and Border Protection (CPB), we were pointed to ?Securing America?s Borders at Ports of Entry,? a document from the CBP?s Office of Field Operations. It says that before asking a person?s immigration status, ?CBP personnel must effectively blend their own observational techniques and interviewing abilities with situational awareness.? This is a lower, less-precise standard than the Arizona law. So if the president considers the Arizona law racist, what does he consider the federal standard? If Obama believes the strict Arizona conditions are likely to lead to racial profiling, what about federal guidelines his administration now enforces?
