Tom Emmer, the Republican candidate for governor, released a statement Wednesday saying the court decision blocking key provisions of the controversial Arizona immigration law ignored, "the real constitutional question in an attempt to justify the federal government's failure to secure our borders."

Emmer has expressed support for the immigration law, which backers say allows the state to reign in illegal immigration and detractors say will result in injustice and racial profiling.

The Republican has called the Arizona law a "wonderful first step," but has not said he wants Minnesota to adopt a similar law. He was not one of the co-authors on a House bill that mimicked that Arizona law in Minnesota this year but his campaign manager was.

Here's Emmer's full statement:

Every state has the constitutional authority, even the obligation to protect it's citizens from any threat to the safety of their person or their property.

The Court in this case ignores the real constitutional question in an attempt to justify the federal government's failure to secure our borders and create a realistic, consistent, easy to understand path to citizenship. We need to encourage immigrants who still desire the freedom and opportunity the United States is supposed to offer to enter this country legally and, further, to become productive and contributing members of the community.