Bucher's Common Sense Idea

Paul Bucher is running for higher office--but that fact should not compromise a clear-eyed look at his idea.

If he is elected attorney general, Bucher says, he would use a 1996 law to get training for state Justice Department investigators so they could assist federal customs agents in tracking down illegal immigrants who commit crimes. Under the provision, the state investigators would get five weeks of federal training, then be empowered to conduct investigations into immigration violations and detain suspects for the federal government.

"We're not talking about illegal aliens; we're talking about illegal aliens who commit serious crimes," Bucher said. "This would fill a gap.

Natually, 'Keg Lift-und-Schlep-Em', our current (D) Attorney General, demurs:

"Pulling state and local law enforcement off Wisconsin's streets from its fight against violent crime, drugs and gangs to do the work of the federal government would be a waste of scarce resources and undermine public safety," Lautenschlager said. "The only real answer to the challenge of illegal immigration is for Congress to step up and pass comprehensive reform, not to burden Wisconsin police officers with immigration duties that have been ignored for decades by the federal government."

"Comprehensive Reform" is code for the Senate's bill--which is simply NOT getting through the House. Not even Our President can whip up enthusiasm for this load of garbage.

VanHollen doesn't think much of it, either:

"This is a major problem, but Paul doesn't understand the magnitude," said Van Hollen, former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. "Promising to the taxpayers of Wisconsin that the (state) Department of Justice is going to take over a role that rightly belongs to the federal government is not credible.

"The federal government doesn't have the resources it needs for the problem. This is something the state cannot possibly uphold."

Well, I dunno about that. Look--assigning "liceity checks" to DOJ agents, sensibly administered, would amount to part-time work for a dozen or so of them.

Better than searching cranberry bogs, or spending State dollars suing for the "right" to RU-486.