Thread: Arizonans support trespass charges against illegal immigrant

Arizonans support trespass charges against illegal immigrants, poll says
BY HOWARD FISCHER, CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
February 27, 2007 - 5:29PM

Phoenix - Arizonans want a state law to allow those who cross the border illegally to be charged with trespass.

The new statewide survey shows that 65 percent of the 600 registered voters questioned support having a law that would allow state and local police officers to arrest border crossers.

Now, a police officer who comes across someone not here legally can only detain them and wait for Border Patrol to arrive. More often than not, those who are caught are deported - a situation that supporters of a trespass law said simply gives them another chance to try to sneak across the border.

A measure that included a trespass provision was vetoed last year by Gov. Janet Napolitano. She said it is an unconstitutional intrusion by the state into federal immigration policies.

This year, lawmakers are taking a different approach, working to put the issue on the 2008 ballot and bypass the governor. There also is a related measure to allow those who remain on public or private property for the purpose of seeking work to be charged with trespass.

The survey conducted last week by KAET-TV, the Phoenix PBS affiliate, also found out that 55 percent of those questioned want to make it a felony for an Arizona business to employ undocumented workers. And by a 51-38 margin, they back another bill that would classify illegal immigrants as "domestic terrorists'' if they commit serious crimes while they are in this country.

But pollster Bruce Merrill said only 35 percent of the people queried support another piece of legislation, which would bar government agencies from accepting identification cards issued by foreign governments.

That is aimed at the Mexican Consular ID cards. Several communities, including Tucson, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe and Pima County, accept these cards to get government services such as utilities and library cards.

The survey has a margin of error of 4 percent.

http://www.yumasun.com/onset?id=32259&t ... ticle.html

Good law, they just need to pass a law that prohibits pregant women from crossing the border. To many anchor babies in the US already. They need to stay home where they were conceived.