The issue of border security is becoming more and more of a major focus in the national debate. Homeland Security head and former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano said that the border with Mexico had never been more secure in the context of opposing the recently passed Arizona state law to secure its border.

The President and Democrats have pushed for “comprehensive immigration reform” but are opposed to doing what the majority of the country supports: “secure the border first.” This is why 60% in recent polls support the Arizona law, which actually just codifies federal law. The problem is that the federal government is not enforcing its immigration laws.

In spite of the fact that Mexican President Felipe Calderon used his speech in front of Congress to bash the Arizona law with standing ovations from Democrats, Mexico has similar laws and a horrible record in dealing with illegal immigrants in its own country. It is hypocritical of the Mexican President to chastise the U.S. for seeking to enforce laws similar to its own.

The bottom line is that one of the most important functions of the federal government is to secure the safety of its citizens, and that begins with secure borders. A recent murder of an Arizona rancher on his own property on the border highlights the issue, and now we even have illegals suing property owners for turning them in to federal authorities on their own land.

President Obama responded to this crisis yesterday by announcing that he will send 1,200 troops to the border. Reports that those troops will be utilized in desk jobs undermine the seriousness of that move. Last night the U.S. Senate voted down a proposal to send 6,000 troops and take other steps to give relief to citizens in the Border States. The president has the authority to order troops to the border and have them secure it, and yet he chooses to give lip service to the issue, as did former President Bush. In fact, it now appears that the Obama administration plans to sue the state of Arizona to overturn the state law to secure its borders.

What will it take to get the federal government to do one of the few things it is empowered by the constitution to do?