"Pahmping" Them Up

The Governator puts in a good word for the Minutemen:

"I think they have done a terrific job, and they have cut down the crossing of illegal immigrants by a huge percentage, so it just shows that it works when you go and make an effort and when you work hard. ... It's a shame the private citizen has to go in there and secure our borders," he said.

Despite a firestorm of criticism, Schwarzenegger has stood by his comments, telling a news conference, yesterday: "I think the most important thing to note is I am a champion of immigrants. I promote immigration. I am an immigrant myself. I think it's extremely important that we do it in a legal way."

"[The federal government's] job is to secure the borders and they have not done their job," Schwarzenegger continued. "And when the government – the state or the country – doesn't do its job, then the private citizens go out and it's like a neighborhood patrol."

Sidenote: If you've heard about them, there's a "Los Angeles, CA Mexico" billboard near where I live in Orange County. Absolutely ridiculous.

Update: When it comes to illegal immigration, the normally rational Professor Bainbridge chooses politics and hyperbole over law.