Thread: Time-out for Ariz. on illegal immigration in 2011?

Time-out for Ariz. on illegal immigration in 2011?

Posted: 9:08 AM
Last Updated: 31 minutes ago
Associated Press

PHOENIX - State lawmakers across the nation are moving to follow Arizona's lead in cracking down on illegal immigration, but Arizona itself may take a time-out.

Whether the Arizona Legislature does take a breather from approving new legislation on the contentious issue could depend partly on a vote that will take place within days after the Nov. 2 general election.

That's when majority Republican senators-elect are expected to choose a new Senate president, choosing among four rivals who include Sen. Russell Pearce, the Legislature's leading illegal immigration foe.

All four contenders -- Pearce included -- say Arizona's most pressing problems deserving lawmakers' attention when they report back in January are the state's ailing economy and its grim state budget picture.

That's in the wake of passage of a 2007 law targeting employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants and this year's SB1070, a law that includes requiring police enforcing other laws to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally.

Pearce said in an interview that if elected Senate president he plans to let other lawmakers lead the charge on 2011 legislation on illegal immigration. Those could include legislation to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in this country to parents who are both illegal immigrants and to toughen the employer sanctions law.

But Pearce still would be poised to give that legislation a big helping hand if he's Senate president, a position with scheduling and appointment powers that help determine whether bills reach the governor's desk or die quiet deaths in desk draws.

His being elected president "probably helps" the chances of additional legislation on illegal immigration, Pearce said. "I will help usher those bills if they're good public policy."

On the other hand, "for those folks that are a little wimpy on this issue, the best thing they can hope is that I'm president because my time will be spent doing a lot of other things that are very important," he said. "My biggest concentration will be growing jobs, reducing the burdens on families and businesses, and balancing the budget."

Though Pearce largely has had his way on the illegal immigration issue in recent years, that's not always been the case. He was left fuming on the last day of the 2006 session when the Senate's leadership bottled up some of his get-tough proposals.

Now, with legal challenges to both the employer sanctions law and SB1070 pending in federal court, some majority Republican lawmakers say it's time to take a breath and deal with more pressing problems.

"I would argue that the economy is the biggest threat," said Sen. Frank Antenori, a Tucson Republican who supports the crackdown on illegal immigration. "Guys like me are saying we don't want to ignore the illegal immigration problem, but we don't want it to distract us from getting the economy going."

Arizona's unemployment rate stands at 9.7 percent after big job losses in construction and other sectors. Meanwhile, the $8.5 billion budget faces a midyear shortfall estimate at up to $825 million, and a $1 billion-plus gap is forecast for the next year's budget.

Besides Pearce, the other candidates for Senate president include Majority Whip Steve Pierce and two current House leaders, John McComish and Steve Yarbrough. All are running in Republican-leaning districts and all voted for SB1070 earlier this year.

"The first priorities should be the budget and jobs for the people of Arizona -- economic development," said McComish, currently the House majority leader.

McComish said he'll go along if fellow Republicans want to push another immigration bill, but that having two immigration laws in the court already is enough. "We need to take a deep breath," he said.

Pierce and Yarbrough expressed similar preferences.

"If someone were to bring another (immigration) issue to us, we will certainly look at it, but the priority is to get the state back onto some form of economic engine that will bring jobs to Arizona," Pierce said.

And that's certainly the direction that the state's biggest business lobby is urging lawmakers to take.

Arizona has been "the gold medal champion when it comes to immigration-related legislation," said Glenn Hamer, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry president. "For legislation to get our economy going, the performance has not been nearly as good."

"We need to take a time-out as a state on immigration-related matters," Hamer said. "We believe at this point the better place to focus on is at the federal level."

But a former legislator said budget troubles and economic concerns won't keep lawmakers from also acting on illegal immigration.

"It's got its own life," said Stan Barnes, a Republican who now lobbies at the Legislature for businesses and other clients. "It will go regardless of who is Senate president or in any other Senate leadership position."

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_ph ... in-2011%3F

Ya know I may just start looking at moving to AZ! It may be the on the front line but with the laws they are passing we can win this fight!