Referendum could delay Arizona immigration law to 2012

(posted by Uriel Rivera)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/28/20100428arizona-immigration-law-referendum-could-delay.html

A group calling itself One Arizona filed petitions with the state Wednesday to refer Arizona's new immigration law

to the November ballot.

It's the second referendum drive announced this week.

One Arizona chairman Andrew Chavez, who runs a petition-circulation company, said the groups want voters to overturn Senate Bill 1070.

He declined to identify One Arizona, other than to say it consists of concerned Arizona groups and individuals. The emergence of One Arizona has prompted an earlier referendum effort to narrow its scope.

Gary Peter Klahr, a disbarred attorney who is working with activist Jon Garrido on a separate repeal of the immigrationlaw, said his group will seek a vote on what he called the "objectionable" parts of SB 1070, instead of trying to overturn the entire legislation.

They are still working on the precise ballot language, Klahr said, so the "objectionable" passages are still being debated.

Both efforts require the signatures of 76,682 registered voters within 90 days of the end of the legislative session. With the Legislature working toward an adjournment today, 4/29 that would mean petitions would be due at the end of July.

But the later the petitions come in, the slimmer the chance of qualifying for the November ballot.

That's because the Secretary of State and the county recorders need time to verify the voter signatures, said Matthew Benson, a spokesman for Secretary of State Ken Bennett. Benson said he can't name a hard and fast deadline to qualify for this fall's ballot, but said the earlier the petitions come in, the better the chances.

If organizers fail to make the November ballot, the measure would go before voters in the November 2012 general election

. However, the mere filing of the petitions would put the law on hold until it could get before voters in November 2012.

Arizona immigration law: McCain says state had to crack down

(Posted by Uriel Rivera)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/27/20100427arizona-immigration-law-mccain.html

WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain says Arizona had to pass a tough immigration law because the Obama administration has failed to "secure our borders."

The Arizona Republican called the situation in his state "the worst I've ever seen," saying ineffective border enforcement has resulted in drugs pouring into the southwestern United States from Mexico.

McCain told CBS's "The Early Show" that over a million pounds of marijuana were intercepted on the border at Tucson just in the last year. He said he's talked to law enforcement officials and believes the new law can be implemented "without racial profiling."

Under the law set to take effect in late July or August, it would be a crime to be in the United States illegally.

Arizona immigration law: Vandals leave Swastikas, beans at Capitol

(Posted by Uriel Rivera)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/26/20100426arizona-capitol-vandalized.html
The conflict over a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration in Arizona intensified Monday as vandals smeared refried beans in the shape of swastikas on the state Capitol's windows.

More protests were planned Monday after thousands gathered this weekend to demonstrate against a bill that will make it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant in Arizona.

Opponents say the law will lead to rampant racial profiling and turn Arizona into a police state with provisions that require police to question people about their immigrant status if they suspect they are here illegally. Day laborers can be arrested for soliciting work if they are in the U.S. illegally, and police departments can be sued if they don't carry out the law.

But supporters of the law, set to take effect in late July or August, say it is necessary to protect Arizonans from a litany of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Arizona is home to an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants.

Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the bill on Friday, argues Arizona must act because the federal government has failed to stop the steady stream of illegal immigrants and drugs that move through Arizona from Mexico. She is scheduled to speak about the issue Monday at a Tucson hotel.

Arizona immigration law revives calls for federal action on reform

(Posted Uriel Rivera)

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/04/24/20100424arizona-immigration-bill-federal-action.html
WASHINGTON - Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigrants has thrust the dormant issue of immigration reform back into the national spotlight.

Immigrant-rights advocates are showing a renewed urgency to push Congress and President Barack Obama to adopt a federal law combining tough enforcement with a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country.

Obama said Friday that he agrees that the federal government must act to avoid "irresponsibility by others." He called Arizona's law "misguided" and instructed the Justice Department to examine whether the bill is a violation of civil rights.

"The recent efforts in Arizona ... threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe," Obama said at a ceremony in which immigrants on active duty for the U.S. military were sworn in as U.S. citizens.

Arizona governor signs immigration law; foes promise fight

(Posted by Uriel Rivera)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/23/20100423arizona-immigration-law-passed.html

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer today signed into law an immigration bill that gives the state toughest law in the nation, making it a state crime to be in the country illegally and requiring local police to enforce federal immigration laws.

Brewer said she signed the bill in response to "the crisis the federal government has refused to fix.''

Hispanic leaders addressing the hundreds of protesters at the Capitol immediately vowed to wage a legal fight, and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said he wants the city to sue.

The new immigration law will require anyone whom police suspect of being in the country illegally to produce "an alien registration document," such as a green card

, or other proof of citizenship such as a passport or Arizona driver's license.

It also makes it illegal to impede the flow of traffic by picking up day laborers for work. A day laborer who gets picked up for work, thus impeding traffic, would also be committing a criminal act.

Gordon criticized Brewer's action.

"The governor clearly knows that her actions not only have split the state, but will now cause severe economic hardship to all our businesses at a time when we can't afford any losses. The executive order isn't worth the paper it's written on."

Gordon said the executive order to AZ POST would be unenforceable; called it "an attempt to solve this problem with smoke and mirrors."

Arizona immigration bill under fire in Washington

(Posted By Uriel Rivera)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/20/20100420arizona-immigration-bill-criticized-politico.html

Hispanic lawmakers want President Barack Obama to intervene if Arizona's governor doesn't veto a sweeping anti-immigrant bill that would allow local police to arrest anyone they suspect might be an illegal immigrant.

"The governor of Arizona should veto the bill and if she doesn't the president of the United States Barack Obama should assert the federal government's preeminent role in regulating and enforcing our nation's immigration law," Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), said Tuesday.

The White House declined to comment.

Under the proposed Arizona law, which passed the state Senate Monday, police can arrest anyone on "reasonable suspicion" that they are an undocumented immigrant. If they're not carrying a valid driver's license or identity papers, police could make an arrest.

"The lunacy of rounding up people because they look a certain way or are suspected of being in violation of immigration statutes can only lead to one thing violations of people's basic, fundamental civil rights. Profiling," Gutierrez said.

But while Gutierrez criticized Republicans, he's also firing a warning shot at the White House, which has been slow to embrace comprehensive immigration reform.

"In the end it all comes back to the president of the United States and whether he will put his back into comprehensive immigration reform," Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez warned of electoral payback if Democrats ignore the issue.

"The Republicans are so mean spirited and so anti-immigrant that they simply push immigrants and Latinos into the waiting arms of Democrats," Gutierrez said. "There is a third option for those voters. They don't necessarily have to fill the ranks of the Democratic Party. They can simply stay home."

Arizona's Tough New Law Against Illegal Immigrants

(posted by Uriel Rivera)

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1982268,00.html

The toughest anti-illegal-immigrant measure in a generation passed the Arizona legislature this week. If signed, as expected, by Republican governor Jan Brewer, the law will give local police sweeping new powers in regard to undocumented workers. Currently, immigration offenses are violations of federal, not state, law, and local police officers only can inquire about a person's immigration status if that person is suspected of another crime. Under SB1070, however, Arizona police will have the right to stop anyone on "reasonable suspicion" that they may be an illegal immigrant and can arrest them if they are not carrying a valid driver's license or identity papers.

Passions about illegal immigration run high in Arizona, a point of entry for thousands of undocumented workers going to the U.S. from Mexico, and tensions were heightened by the recent murder of a rancher in a remote border area where illegal crossings are rampant. With 6.6 million residents, Arizona's illegal-immigrant population is estimated to be half a million people.

Arizona House panel changes, advances immigration bill

(Posted by Uriel Rivera)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/03/31/20100331arizona-immigration-bill-advances.html

A wide-ranging immigration proposal in the state Legislature continues to attract advocates from both sides of the issue.

During a committee hearing Wednesday, the advocates rallied on the Capitol lawn. Some held signs, others wore yellow T-shirts. They made desperate pleas to lawmakers and sent thousands of postcards to the governor.

They all have a lot at stake: Senate Bill 1070 could bring Arizona the toughest immigration laws in the nation.

The bill would, among other things, make it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It would require law enforcement to check immigration status as well as enforce federal immigration laws. It also would make it a crime in some cases to pick up a day laborer or be picked up as a day laborer.

And although the Senate passed the bill in February, concerns about wording and legal impacts lingered. The sponsor, Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, has spent time since working with the Governor's Office, attorneys and stakeholders to further tweak the language.

Ariz. rancher's slaying sparks debate over illegal immigration

(Posted By Uriel Rivera)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/03/29/20100329rancher-killed-at-arizona-ranch.html

The unsolved murder Saturday of a soft-spoken rancher in southern Arizona has become a new flashpoint in the debate over illegal immigration, with conservative media and politicians demanding increased border security.

Less than two days after authorities found the body of 58-year-old Robert Krentz, political bloggers and talk-show hosts began denouncing the federal government for a perceived failure to protect U.S. civilians from violent smugglers and other illegal border crossers.

Cochise County Sheriff's spokeswoman Carol Capas said detectives have no information on the assailant, including a nationality.

After deputies and U.S. Border Patrol agents tracked footprints from the crime scene nearly 20 miles to the Mexican line, however, border policy critics declared that the killer was an illegal immigrant.

Two U.S. senators and a House member from New Mexico called for increased enforcement, according to published reports. And Tom Tancredo, an outspoken former Congressman from Colorado challenged Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to send in the National Guard.

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Tucson, offered condolences to the family in a news release and said the federal government "must respond appropriately" if the homicide was tied to smuggling. "All options should be on the table," she added, "including sending more Border Patrol agents to the area and deploying the National Guard."

More than half of all undocumented aliens arrested along the border last year were caught in the Tucson Sector, which covers most of southern Arizona. Omar Candelaria, a Border Patrol spokesman, said he is not aware of any U.S. citizen being murdered by illegal immigrants in that sector for more than a decade.

Immigrant rights groups ask Arizona Governor to veto Anti-immigrant initiative

(Posted by Uriel Rivera)

http://www.impre.com/laopinion/inmigracion/2010/3/28/piden-a-gobernadora-de-arizona-180346-2.html

Original version in Spanish - Diario La Opinion

Phoenix, Arizona / EFE –

This week several pro-immigrant organizations asked Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer, to veto a bill that criminalizes the presence of undocumented people in that state.

About 150 people gathered outside the offices of the Republican president in Phoenix to deliver cards signed by community members who express their opposition to the project, that if becomes law, would make Arizona the first U.S. state to criminalize presence of aliens.

"We want the governor and the state legislature to realize that people disagree with this law," said Carlos Garcia, representing “Organización Puente” (Organization BRIDGE) in Arizona.

The initiative SB1070, led by Sen. Russell Pearce was approved by the Senate on 15 February, while the House passed on Wednesday a similar.

The initiative included an amendment that excludes firefighters and law enforcement agencies that provide emergency services to people regardless of their immigration status, thus, the initiative still faces two votes more before reaching the desk of Brewer.

"We all hoped that the proposal was going to be finally approved, but I think that with the pressure we put on them, we were able to postpone it again," Garcia said.

The move that hailed by activists as Arizona being " the state with the most extreme immigration law in the country," would also penalize those who harbor or transport undocumented immigrants.

Also, it authorizes local and state law enforcement agencies to question the immigration status of detainees if they have suspicions of who might be illegally in the country.

"We are asking the governor to realize the legal implications and can be unconstitutional if it becomes law," emphasized the activist.

He said more than 16,000 cards have been asking for the veto given to the Governor Office.

Brewer, who replaced Democrat Janet Napolitano when she was appointed Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), began her campaign for a new term as a governor during the November elections.

During his first government report, last January, the governor said she would sign any law against illegal immigration that reached his desk.

Arizona is one of the states with the tougher laws against illegal immigrants in the United States.

This state became the first to approve a law that penalizes businesses that knowingly hire undocumented workers and requires employers to verify the immigration status of their workers.

In Arizona, the authorities have the power to arrest and bring charges against undocumented workers who admit to having paid for the services of a dealer under its anti-coyote (anti-smuggler)law .

Last November a law that requires workers from government agencies to report to the immigration service to illegal immigrants who come to seek public assistance came into effect .

California must stem the flow of illegal immigrants

(Posted By Uriel Rivera)

By Steve Poizner (Governor Candidate)

The state should go after employers who hire them, curb taxpayer-funded benefits, deploy the National Guard to help the feds at the border and penalize 'sanctuary' cities.

The United States, and California in particular, has been built by immigrants who legally crossed our borders in search of a brighter future. For generations, these legal immigrants have made immeasurable contributions to creating a unique and vibrant California. As Americans and Californians, we are right to welcome people from all over the globe when they obey our laws and are willing to play by the rules.

Illegal immigration is another matter entirely. With the state budget in tatters, millions of residents out of work and a state prison system strained by massive overcrowding, California simply cannot continue to ignore the strain that illegal immigration puts on our budget and economy. Illegal aliens cost taxpayers in our state billions of dollars each year. As economist Philip J. Romero concluded in a 2007 study, "illegal immigrants impose a 'tax' on legal California residents in the tens of billions of dollars."

Some have said that illegal immigration is an issue for the federal government, not the states, and that there's little a governor can do to fix the problem. Those people are wrong.

In government at any level, federal or state, a chief executive's duty is to preserve the rule of law. This also means confronting those who flout it, including illegal immigrants and those who shield them.

(to read the full article please follow this link: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-poizner27-2010mar27,0,5816792.story)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/03/26/20100326janet-napolitano-immigration-reform.html

(Posted by Uriel Rivera)

Homeland Security
Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday told a packed lecture hall at Arizona State University that the Obama administration is setting its sights on immigration reform.

"We're going to keep pushing this until we get it over the finish line," said Napolitano, who served as Arizona's governor, attorney general and U.S. attorney
before joining the Obama administration last year.

Napolitano emphasized that the United States has a sovereign right to secure its borders, and she touted a nearly 20 percent increase in the deportation rate of criminal illegal immigrants since President Barack Obama took office


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/03/26/20100326janet-napolitano-immigration-reform.html

Illegal Immigrants Make 1,500-Mile March to Washington

(Posted By Uriel Rivera)

Three undocumented immigrant students have embarked on a four month, 1,500-mile campaign, walking from Miami to the nation's capital to advocate for immigration reform legislation that would give them a path to citizenship.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/immigration-illegal-students-make-1500-mile-march-washington/story?id=9636199

Arizona Republic: Changes to immigrant-detention system coming, official says

(By Uriel Rivera)

WASHINGTON - The head of U.S. immigration enforcement on Monday announced plans for an overhaul of the government's controversial detention system for people who face deportation.

The moves described by John T. Morton, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, address oversight, medical care and tracking of detainees at facilities in Arizona and across the country.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/01/25/20100125immigration-detention-ice-arizona.html