Thread: Arizona Legislature sends immigration bill to gov

Arizona Legislature sends immigration bill to gov

By PAUL DAVENPORT, Associated Press Writer
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 2:31 p.m.

PHOENIX — A sweeping immigration bill intended to ramp up law enforcement efforts in Arizona has been approved by state lawmakers.

Passage by the Senate on a 17-11 vote Monday sends the bill to Gov. Jan Brewer, who has not taken a position on the measure championed by her fellow Republicans.

The bill would make it a state crime for illegal immigrants to not have an alien registration document. It also would require police to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally.

Other provisions allow citizen lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws, and make it illegal for people to hire illegal immigrants for day labor or knowingly transport them.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PHOENIX (AP) - A sweeping immigration bill intended to ramp up law enforcement efforts in Arizona was scheduled for a state Senate vote Monday as critics complained it could lead to racial profiling and other abuses.

Passage later in the day would send the bill to Gov. Jan Brewer, who has not taken a position on the measure championed by fellow Republicans. The House approved the bill April 13.

The new measure would be the latest crackdown in Arizona, which has an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants and is the nation's busiest crossing point for illegal immigrants.

Arizona enacted a law in 2005 making human smuggling a state crime and prohibited employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants with a law in 2007.

The latest bill would make it a state crime for illegal immigrants to not have an alien registration document. It also would require police to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally.

Other provisions allow citizen lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws, and make it illegal for people to hire illegal immigrants for day labor or knowingly transport them.

Supporters say the bill uncuffs law enforcement to protect the state from violent criminals. U.S. Sen. John McCain endorsed the measure Monday.

"I think the people of Arizona understandably are frustrated and angry," the Arizona Republican said. "It's also a commentary on the frustration that our state Legislature has that the federal government has not fulfilled its constitutional responsibilities to secure our borders."

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund has all but promised a legal challenge if the legislation becomes law.

The organization claims the measure is unconstitutional because the federal government is responsible for immigration enforcement.

In addition, implementation would hinder law enforcement because people would forego contact with police to report crimes or testify as witnesses, the Los Angeles-based group said.

"The bill is so vague that it encourages investigation and arrest of people ... who essentially have done nothing wrong but because of their racial profile," said Gladys Limon, a MALDEF attorney.

Mexico's embassy also has voiced concerns about racial profiling.

Arizona law enforcement groups are split on the bill, with a union for Phoenix Police Department officers supporting it and a statewide association of police chiefs opposed.

Nearly 30 opponents of the bill held a candlelight vigil outside Brewer's home Sunday night to protest the bill. Calls, e-mails and letters on the bill were running 3-1 in favor, Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman said.

Brewer's predecessor, Janet Napolitano, a Democrat who is now President Barack Obama's Homeland Security secretary, vetoed similar proposals.

Current law in Arizona and most states doesn't require police to ask about the immigration status of those they encounter, and some police officials say allowing such questions would deter immigrations from cooperating in other investigations.

The bill is regarded as carrying political high stakes for Brewer, who faces challenges from fellow conservatives in the Aug. 24 Republican primary.

If she vetoes it, "she would be crushed in the primary," said Mike Gardner, a business lobbyist and former legislator.

Vincent Picard, a federal Immigration and Customs enforcement spokesman in Phoenix, declined comment on the Arizona legislation and referred a reporter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Washington headquarters. The agency did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

Arizona police use the human smuggling law from time to time to charge suspects.

In Maricopa County, however, more than 1,500 people were convicted under that law, with 85 percent immigrants, not smugglers.

To reduce the economic incentive for immigrants to sneak into the country, Arizona lawmakers also approved a civil law in 2007 that prohibits employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.

The law also carries license suspensions and revocations for violators.

The state law has prompted an unknown number of illegal immigrants to leave Arizona for their home countries or other U.S. states.

Authorities across Arizona have examined several dozen complaints of employer sanction violations. But in the more than two years since that law took effect, only two cases have been settled with employers admitting to violating the law.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... ll-to-gov/

Is she going to hang tight and not cave???

Time to save some pennies to send to Arizona to fight court battles from MALDEF and goofball organizations like ACLU and SPLC.
Mark Potok was on CNN this morning talking about the rising militia groups and the sudden explosion in numbers of "anti-immigrant" groups. Since Potok apparently does not know the difference between illegal and legal immigrant, nor qualify them as such, I worry about his group as a hate group against the American people and our sovereignty.

The folks in Arizona seem to be "fed up" with all of the baggage. I hope Brewer signs it.

Ariz. lawmakers pass toughest illegal immigration law in U.S.

by Alia Beard Rau and Ginger Rough -
Apr. 19, 2010 03:21 PM
The Arizona Republic .

Arizona lawmakers on Monday approved one of the toughest illegal immigration laws in the United States.

The immigration Abill now heads to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who has five days to sign it, veto it or do nothing and allow it to become law.

Senate Bill 1070 would, among other things, make it a state crime to be in the country illegally and require local police to enforce federal-immigration laws. If the governor signs it, Arizona would be the first state to criminalize illegal immigrants.

The Senate approved the bill 17 to 11.

The House of Representatives made changes to the bill last week, and it had to go back to the Senate for approval.

Brewer, speaking to media at an unrelated news conference Monday morning, said she had "concerns" about SB 1070.

"I am always concerned about all of those things," Brewer said when asked about several specific provisions of the bill, including one that would require police to ask anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally to produce an "alien registration document" such as a green card. Those who don't or can't produce one would be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor and face a minimum $500 fine.

Still, Brewer declined to give any indication as to whether she would sign or veto the legislation, which has gotten national attention.

"I'll look at it, go over it and review it completely when it hits my desk," she said.

Nearly 30 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in front of Brewer's Glendale home Sunday night in a bid to convince her to veto the bill. The protestors said the bill could increase racial profiling in Arizona.

Protestors and advocates on both sides of the issue have spent the past week holding rallies, issuing statements, appearing on national talk shows and bombarding Brewer's office with e-mails and phone calls.
U.S. Sen. John McCain threw his support toward the measure on Monday.

"I think the people of Arizona understandably are frustrated and angry," the Arizona Republican said. "It's also a commentary on the frustration that our state Legislature has that the federal government has not fulfilled its constitutional responsibilities to secure our borders."

Republican J.D. Hayworth, who is running for McCain's Senate seat, has been issuing news releases in support of the state legislation for several weeks.

Opponents include Mexico's embassy, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Valley Interfaith Project and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Several groups, including National Day Laborer Organizing Network and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, planned a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to ask President Obama to intervene. Other groups already have promised a legal challenge if the legislation becomes law.

Arizona law enforcement groups are split on the bill, with a union for Phoenix Police Department officers supporting it and a statewide association of police chiefs opposed.

Although the public was not allowed to speak at Monday's hearing, lawmakers on both sides became heated.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, told the Senate: "Illegal is not a race, it's a crime."

Sen. Richard Miranda, D-Tolleson, spoke out against the bill. "It's popular that I hear that we're going to take handcuffs off police. What we're doing with this bill is putting the handcuffs on the community."

The bill is the latest aimed at cementing the state's reputation as the leader in tough and controversial immigration-control measures. Arizona has about 460,000 undocumented immigrants, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

SB 1070 aims to stop day-labor solicitations by making it illegal to seek work from a road or sidewalk if doing so slows traffic. It also makes it a crime to pick up someone if a driver "knows or recklessly disregards the fact that the alien is here illegally."

Currently, immigration offenses are violations of federal law, something most local law-enforcement agencies cannot enforce. Beyond the requirement to produce an "alien registration document," the bill aims to stop day-labor solicitations by making it illegal to seek work from a road or sidewalk if doing so slows traffic. It also makes it a crime to pick up someone if a driver "knows or recklessly disregards the fact that the alien is here illegally."

Vincent Picard, a federal Immigration and Customs enforcement spokesman in Phoenix, declined comment on the Arizona legislation and referred a reporter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Washington headquarters. The agency did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

Previously, Brewer's camp has said only that the governor has "a strong and consistent track record of supporting responsible immigration-enforcement measures."

As evidence, spokesman Paul Senseman cited Brewer's advocacy of Proposition 200, during her tenure as Secretary of State. That provision required proof of identification to vote and proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Brewer pushed for the measure in 2004, and then "vigorously fought legal battles to successfully defend its provisions," he said.

More recently, in 2009, Brewer worked with the Arizona Department of Economic Security to ensure that funds the state spent on social-welfare programs only went to those who were eligible under the law, Senseman said.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... asses.html

Right before an election. This will be fun. I predict she does nothing and allows this to become law.

This article is now on the USA TODAY site.
You can post a comment @

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/201 ... tion_N.htm

Arizona Legislature sends sweeping immigration bill to Gov. Jan Brewer
http://bit.ly/aUfk0m

URGE GOVERNOR BREWER TO SIGN IT #AFIRE #tcot

And now lets make it a national law

Arizona bill tells police to check immigration status
By the CNN Wire Staff
April 19, 2010 10:19 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- The Arizona state Senate on Monday passed an extensive immigration bill that is widely considered to be some of the toughest immigration legislation in the nation, requiring police officers to determine whether a person is in the United States legally.

Currently, officers can only take that route if a person is suspected in another crime. Critics, including immigrant advocates and the ACLU of Arizona, are concerned the new law will foster racial profiling, arguing that most police officers don't have enough training to look past race while investigating a person's legal status.

The Senate passed the bill in a 17-11 vote Monday. The bill was approved in a House vote last week and awaits the signature of Gov. Jan Brewer. Supporters of the measure expect her to sign it.

Republican state Sen. Russell Pearce, who wrote the bill, said in a recent interview that, with the bill, "We're going to take the handcuffs off of law enforcement, we're going to put them on the bad guy. Illegal is not a race, it's a crime."

"You know, this is amazing to me. We trust officers, we put guns on them, they make life and death decisions every day," he added. "They investigate capital crimes, they investigate sophisticated crimes, but we're afraid they're going to pick up the phone and call ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)."

The tough rhetoric has angered immigration advocates, such as Isabel Garcia, an Arizona legal defender, who says the legislation "legalizes racial profiling."

"I think this bill represents the most dangerous precedent in this country, violating all of our due process rights," she told CNN's Tony Harris. "We have not seen this kind of legislation since the Jim Crow laws. And targeting our communities, it is the single most largest attack on our communities."

The measure would require immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times. It also requires police to question people if there's reason to suspect they're undocumented and targets those who hire illegal immigrant day laborers or knowingly transport them.

The state Senate's Democratic leadership slammed Monday's vote, saying the bill doesn't truly address Arizona's real immigration problems.

Senate Bill 1070 "is exactly why the federal government must act on immigration reform," said Democratic leader Jorge Luis Garcia in a written statement. "We cannot have states creating a jigsaw puzzle of immigration laws. This bill opens the doors to racial profiling with the provision that allows an officer to ask for citizenship papers from someone who only looks illegal."

The bill is an unfunded mandate that is "turning police officers into ICE agents and opening departments to lawsuits allowed by this bill," said Sen. Rebecca Rios.

Rios was referring to a provision in the bill that allows residents to sue their local governments if they feel the law isn't being enforced effectively.

According to Phoenix press, the governor, who has not taken a public stance on the bill, on Sunday told the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce that, "I will assure you that I will do what I believe is the right thing so that everyone is treated fairly."

www.cnn.com