Federal government sues Arizona over immigration law

CLEVELAND - It's the law, but it's our law.  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that Arizona's new immigration law interferes with federal immigration law.  The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit, aiming to block Arizona's ability to round-up illegal immigrants and put them in jail.

The suit asks a district court to prohibit Arizona from enforcing the law.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer fired back, saying the lawsuit against her state is a massive waste of taxpayer dollars.

"It is wrong that our own federal government is suing the people of Arizona for helping to enforce federal immigration law.  As a direct result of failed and inconsistent federal enforcement, Arizona is under attack from violent Mexican drug and immigrant smuggling cartels," Brewer said.  "Now, Arizona is under attack in federal court from President Obama and his Department of Justice."

The cost of harboring illegal immigrants in the United States is a staggering $113 billion a year -- according to a study released by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

Breaking it down, the single largest cost to the government of illegal immigration, according to the report, is an estimated $52 billion spent on schooling the children of illegal immigrants. Nearly all those costs are absorbed by state and local governments, the report states.

Arizona's immigration law takes effect July 29.