In an alarming display of disrespect for the rule of law, activists who favor amnesty for illegal aliens recently openly urged President Barack Obama to change duly enacted immigration laws on his own -- in obvious violation of the United States Constitution's separation of powers.

Here is how The Associated Press described the disturbing scene when the president spoke at a meeting of the activist organization the National Council of La Raza:

"... Obama said he had to enforce the laws that exist and couldn't change them on his own. The crowd disagreed and shouted, 'Yes you can! Yes you can!'"

We are sorry to disappoint the activists, but "No he can't." And it would be a violation of his oath of office if he did.

But in fact, the president has at a minimum been lax about enforcing federal immigration law. His administration has, for instance, said that immigration cases should be dismissed against illegal aliens who have not broken still more laws after entering this country unlawfully.

Actually, our immigration laws should be upheld as written -- not as either the Obama administration or pro-amnesty activists may wish they had been written.