Arizona immigration bill would step up enforcement

by Mary Jo Pitzl - Feb. 21, 2011 07:19 PM
The Arizona Republic

Senate President Russell Pearce on Monday introduced a wide-ranging bill that seeks to crack down on illegal immigration by tightening standards for registering and driving a vehicle, enrolling in school and hiring workers.

The measure, Senate Bill 1611, is on an agenda heavy with other hot-button issues. They include proposed abolition of the Arizona Board of Regents, termination of the state's Medicaid program, a requirement that hospitals demand proof of citizenship before providing non-emergency care and a policy that would deny birth certificates to children born in Arizona if one of the parents was in the country illegally.

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A hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. today.

Among other things, Pearce's bill would require proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the country as a condition of school enrollment. It also would pertain to students who are home-schooled.

It would make it a crime to drive in Arizona if in the country illegally. The penalty would be immediate seizure of the vehicle, as well as a minimum 30 days in jail.

Anyone buying a car would need to show proof of legal presence before getting a state-issued title to the vehicle.

SB 1611 also would require employers to prove that they were using the federal E-Verify program to check on the legal status of any hires, or have their business licenses suspended.

Pearce, R-Mesa, introduced the bill Monday, a quiet day in the Senate. It was quickly approved by the Rules Committee and scheduled for today's hearing.

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