Boehner mum on Butler County's immigration tactics

Enquirer reporter Jennifer Edwards wrote about Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones' campaign against illegal immigrants in today's paper. Read her story here.

With all this furor going on back in his home district, we asked House Majority Leader John Boehner, a Republican from West Chester, at his news conference today what he thought.

Here's what he said:

Enquirer Washington Bureau: "In your home county of Butler County, the sheriff there has taken a hard line against immigration, as I am sure you know. He tried to bill the federal government for the cost of incarcerating illegal aliens and campaigns to get employers to stop hiring them. Do you support his actions and what do you think of what he is doing?"

Boehner: "Well, you know, my local sheriff, along with sheriffs in virtually every county in America, are concerned about illegal immigration and the fact that their hands are tied with regard to effectively dealing with them. That is why I think it is important for Congress to act on this immigration reform bill. If we don't strengthen the border and begin to enforce our laws, I don't know how we get to the more difficult parts of this program with regard to the 12 million or so that are here. So I understand the frustration."

Enquirer Washington Bureau: "Do you support his actions, though?"

Boehner: "He has got to do what he has got to do."