Gov. Jan Brewer announces Arizona to file counter claim against US government

PHOENIX - Governor Jan Brewer and Attorney General Tom Horne announced Thursday afternoon that Arizona is filing a counter claim against the federal government for their failure to uphold constitutional obligations.

Watch the announcement here.

Brewer said Arizona will file the counter claim on five separate counts:

1. Failure to achieve and maintain operational control of the Arizona-Mexico border
2. Failure to protect Arizona as the U.S. Constitution requires
3. Failure to enforce/follow immigration laws
4. Failure to reimburse Arizona for more than $763 million in costs for incarceration of criminal aliens
5. Violating Arizona's 10th Amendment, failure to protect Arizona citizens' welfare

RAW: Read Arizona's suit against U.S.

The counter-claim comes after the federal government sued Arizona last summer after the state passed SB1070, a strict law that allows the state to crackdown on undocumented immigration in new ways. That law is currently under review in a 9th circuit court, and has not fully been implemented.

The Associated Press reports a judge blocked the most controversial portions of the law, such as a requirement that says police, while enforcing other laws, must question people's immigration status if there's a reasonable suspicion they're in the country illegally.

During her remarks Thursday, Brewer said our border and immigration systems are still broken.

"Arizona did not ask for this fight," Brewer said. "Arizona will not rest until federal immigration laws are enforced."

Brewer also announced that Horne will join the fight against the federal government, and take the lead on filing the counter claim.

“Security and border control is by far the number one issue in Arizona,” Brewer said.

She said that no taxpayer money would be spent on the claim, and that she has set up a website to raise funds: keepazsafe.com .

Brewer said she has already raised $3.7 million.