Judge Bolton’s decision was disappointing, but this fight is far from over.  If the federal government fails to do its job – in this case that job is securing the border – then states should be able to protect themselves from the consequences of the federal failure.

We are a nation of immigrants but we are also a nation of laws.  I traveled to Arizona to meet with law enforcement officials because I’d been getting many questions about the illegal alien crisis.  Even though we’re not a border state, Rhode Islanders are concerned about the issue, the precedent the federal lawsuit sets and our fundamental right to set and enforce a fair immigration policy.

I believe we need to close our borders; crack down on employers who take advantage of the illegal population; use a reliable and enforceable system of determining one’s status and most importantly, have a national conversation about an immigration plan that makes sense for America.  It’s unfair to offer a “pathway to citizenship” to people who broke the law when the folks who want to immigrate legally are waiting in line back home.