http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/132866

Governor repeats call for border reforms
By Erica Meltzer
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.09.2006
advertisementAs National Guard troops take up positions along the border, Gov. Janet Napolitano reiterated her call for national immigration reform during a visit to Tucson.

"Congress right now does not have the luxury of rhetoric," she said. "And so far that's what we've heard."

And she called on the Mexican government to do more to deter migrants.
Napolitano plans to meet today with the heads of the National Guard from the four border states. They are in Phoenix to meet with Border Patrol officials to plan the arrival of thousands of National Guard troops.
Next week she plans to meet with her Mexican counterpart, Sonora Gov. Eduardo Bours Castelo, part of a series of meetings between the two.

"They're almost as impacted by illegal immigration as we are," she said. "In the vacuum of our nations' capitals, we're doing what we can."

She defended her veto earlier this week of a state immigration bill that she said was hard on illegal entrants but easy on employers.

Republican state lawmakers were unhappy with the veto, calling Napolitano the "best friend illegal aliens have."

"I'm willing to sign a bill that makes sense for Arizona," Napol-itano said, but she again refused to say exactly what employer sanctions she would support.

The governor was in Tucson Thursday to address a variety of community groups.

Napolitano said she hopes the Legislature will pass a budget by next week. Lawmakers have bogged down over several issues, including tax cuts, education spending and how to spend the more-than-$850 million surplus.

Napolitano said she would not speculate on whether she will veto that budget and call the lawmakers back for a special session.

"A legislature has one job, and that is to produce a budget the governor will sign," she said. "So far they haven't been able to do that, but maybe we'll see some movement next week."

● Contact reporter Erica Meltzer at 807-7790 or emeltzer@azstarnet.com