Bill gives cops more power to stop illegals

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Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services

March 31, 2010 - 2:36PM


A House panel approved legislation designed to give police more power to detain illegal immigrants.

SB 1070 would overrule any policy or procedure of a city council or police department that keeps officers from enforcing federal immigration laws. It also says that, when practicable, police must inquire about the immigration status of those they encounter as part of their regular activities.

The legislation which cleared the House Committee on Military Affairs and Public Safety on a 5-2 vote, also would make criminals out of those who not only harbor or transport those they know are illegal immigrants, or at least recklessly disregard that likelihood, but also outlaw encouraging an illegal immigrant to come to Arizona.

And it would make it a crime to fail to carry a resident legal alien document.

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, questioned whether that requirement to produce identification could end up being used to detain people who are in fact in this country legally but don’t happen to be carrying their identification.

But Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Phoenix, said that concern is overblown.

He said police would need a “lawful reasonâ€