Officials Push For Arizona Type Immigration Law

Last Update: 6:48 pm


Butler County Officials Seek Arizona Type Immigration Law


Arizona Protests Ohio may soon join Arizona in a bitter fight over illegal immigration. Protests have erupted in Arizona, since the governor there signed an immigration bill into law last week. The bill makes being an illegal immigrant a state offense. Police can ask suspected illegals for their documentation, and arrest them if they don't have papers. Critics charge the new law will lead to rampant racial profiling. Supporters charge it protects the public.

Local 12 Reporter Rich Jaffe has more on efforts to have Ohio follow Arizona's lead.

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones and State Representative Courtney Combs tell me that tomorrow they're going to send a letter to the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, demanding that a stalled immigration bill get unstalled and that Ohio follow Arizona's lead and dramatically crack down on people in this state illegally.

In Arizona the new law that makes being in the state illegally a state as well as federal offense has brought about protests, praise and fear. Now, two outspoken opponents of illegal immigration in the Tri-State will try and get this state to follow suit.

Richard Jones, Butler County Sheriff: "Go somewhere else, don't come here, go to some other state where it's ok to take their resources. Ohio's limited on resources, our jails are full, we don't need people coming from other countries to fill our courts, our jails...workers comp, we've worked on scam cases where they've scammed workers comp...social security, welfare."

"What it will do is send a message. We're being invaded, you can't just come here and suck us dry."

But on the other side of the issue... these two priests who minister to the local Hispanic community, and who fear a potential police state.

Fr. Jorge Ochoa, Hispanic Ministries: "It hurts a lot, because many families are suffering. There will be suffering. They will be persecuted. They're suffering already from the families the country, and they just come to do something good to work."

Sheriff Jones and many others believe the immigration issue will get bigger and bigger as election season gets closer, with many politicians looking for either the Hispanic vote, or the anti-illegals vote.

Fr. William Jansen, Hispanic Ministries: "They have to blame somebody and when you have a people that can't defend themselves, that don't have the political posture or force to defend themselves, they're going to suffer greatly."

Contrary to Father Jansen's fear, illegals clearly do have a voice. Sheriff Jones just lost a lawsuit filed by an admitted illegal, regarding his treatment by the Butler County Sheriff's Office. He fought the case from Mexico, and was recently received more than one hundred thousand dollars in a settlement.

Sheriff Jones tells us that he has no doubt the next big frontier for Washington will be a sweeping immigration bill that will only make the current situation more difficult.


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