HAS OBAMA THREATENED LEGALS IN ARIZONA WITH EVEN MORE HORDES OF ILLEGALS?

White House, Kyl feud over Obama conversation on immigration
By Perry Bacon, Jr.
The White House and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz), the No. 2 man in the Senate GOP leadership, feuded Monday over immigration policy, as the Arizona senator said that President Obama personally told him the administration will not support stricter border enforcement until Republicans back broad immigration reform.
The White House strongly denied the claim.
At a town hall in Arizona on Friday, Kyl responded to a voter's question about immigration by detailing a one-on-one meeting he had with Obama. According to Kyl, "The president said the problem is if we secure the border, then you all won't have any reason to support comprehensive immigration reform."
"In other words, they're holding it hostage," Kyl said at the event, a video of was circulated widely online on Monday, but not from Kyl's office. "They won't secure the border unless and until is it combined with comprehensive immigration reform."
Bill Burton, a White House spokesman, said, "The president didn't say that. Senator Kyl knows the president didn't say that."
"But what everybody knows because the President has made it perfectly clear is that what we need to do is everything that we can to bring about comprehensive immigration reform," he added. "And that includes not just securing the border, but doing a lot of other things."
A Kyl spokesman defended the lawmaker's account.
White House officials said the Obama administration has pumped more money and resources into border enforcement than ever before. In May, Obama requested Congress provide $500 million to fund additional enforcement, as well deploying 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S-Mexico border.
Kyl has called for $3 billion and 6,000 troops, a request Senate Democrats voted down after Obama announced his plan.
The dispute was the latest between Arizona Republicans and Democrats over immigration. Saying the federal government had not done enough to stop illegal immigration, Arizona's state legislature in April passed a law, then signed by its Gov. Jan Brewer (R), which gives police authority to check documentation of suspected illegal immigrants.
Obama has personally condemned the law and administration officials have suggested the Department of Justice might file suit to have it struck down.
The law, which goes go into effect on July 29, was supported by both Kyl and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).