” That’s essentially the same position that Arizona is taking: if Congress won’t deal with the issue, we will.”
No, it isn’t. A State has the Constitutional sovereign right to do what they did. An individual does not.
“Why’s it great when AZ does it, but not great when the Executive Branch does it? “
Because it’s UNCONSTITUTIONAL for the ‘Executive’ to do it!
No, they don't. The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution (Article VI, clause 2) deals directly with that issue.
An individual does not.
It's not "an individual." An executive order is supposed to be a statement of how the Executive Branch of the Federal Government will undertake its Constitutional duty faithfully to execute the laws.
This is almost certainly an unconstitutional move; but the claim that it's an "individual" action is simply false.