Arizona-Style Rebellions Over Immigration Spread

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Newsmax - Arizona-Style Rebellions Over Immigration Spread

By: David A. Patten

Legislators in nearly a dozen states are considering tough new laws against illegal immigration that mimic the Arizona measure that has triggered a firestorm of controversy nationwide.

The combination of polls showing increasing voter frustration with federal enforcement efforts, plus the growing fiscal pressure on states facing major budget problems, has emboldened conservative legislators to eye state-level reforms similar to those recently signed into law by Arizona GOP Gov. Jan Brewer.

"The intensity is still there. It's growing," says Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a group that generally supports stronger border-control efforts.

Mehlman tells Newsmax: "Whatever talk there is of any federal response is unfortunately the kind of response that most people oppose: Amnesty for illegal aliens, coupled with promises that 'We'll try to do better next time.' And I don't think the American people are going to buy that. They were fooled once in 1986. George Bush tried to fool them again in 2007. And they said no."

The Arizona measure directs police to question lawful residency only after individuals have been stopped on reasonable suspicion of having violated another law. It directs police to verify residency if suspects are unable to produce documentation, provide a Social Security number, or otherwise establish their legal residency. The law has sparked widespread protests by pro-immigration groups nationwide.

Despite that backlash, conservative lawmakers in North Carolina, Maryland, Colorado, Missouri, Ohio, and several other states are considering following Arizona's lead via state legislation to stem the tide of illegal immigration. If nothing else, their support for further restrictions on illegal immigration indicates they see it as a winning political issue.

One reason state legislators aren't intimidated by threats of legal action from the Obama administration, as well as from a host of pro-immigrant groups: A plethora of polls suggesting state-level legislation, in the absence of stiffer federal enforcement and border control, would be very popular with voters. A few recent examples:

• A USA Today/Gallup poll released Wednesday shows that 9 out of 10 Americans say it is at least moderately important for the federal government to act this year to secure the borders and stop illegal immigration. Sixty-one percent say they are very concerned undocumented workers are putting an unfair burden on U.S. schools, hospitals, and social services.
  
• Sixty-nine percent of voters in the South and 66 percent of voters in the Midwest -- two regions that may well determine whether Democrats continue to control Congress -- say the Arizona law is either "about right," or doesn't go far enough, in combating the problem of illegal immigration.
  
• A recent Rasmussen poll found that 60 percent of voters nationwide support
  
• Various polls that indicate between 64 percent and 70 percent of Arizona voters support the new law. After Arizona GOP Gov. Jan Brewer signed bill, her approval ratings in Arizona jumped 16 percent.
  

Experts say the polls partially reflect voter frustration with the economic burdens of undocumented workers, especially on cash-strapped states hit hard by unemployment and the weak economy.

Some costs, such as crime, are hard to gauge. Whether illegal workers are more likely to commit other crimes is frequently debated by experts of all political stripes.

According to FAIR, Phoenix has the second highest kidnapping rate in the world, second only to Mexico City. It adds that kidnappings and home invasions in Arizona rose 61 percent since 2005, although how much of this spike in violence is attributable to illegals is in dispute.

The impact on state budgets is more easily measured. FAIR states that the Arizona's estimated 460,000 undocumented workers represent 37 percent of its uninsured population. The public cost of caring for those individuals: approximately $510 million per year.

"When the federal government fails to enforce our immigration laws," Mehlman says, "it is the taxpayers in Arizona, or Maryland, or whatever state you happen to be living in who are then forced to pay for education, for healthcare, for other social services. They're the ones who have to deal with crime that may be associated with illegal immigrations. These burdens are felt at the state and local level."

Steven A. Camarota, research director for the nonprofit Center for Immigration Studies, gives the new law a guarded endorsement, providing that police are monitored to ensure traffic stops of Hispanics don't increase due to racial profiling.

He adds that requiring identification after a traffic violation is just common sense. Without proper identification a citation is virtually unenforceable anyway, he says.

"It seems like the law in many ways is well constructed, and it does some common sense things," Camarota tells Newsmax. "Especially the fact that anytime you arrest somebody, any time you have a citation, you have to determine their identity, or the arrest and the citation are largely meaningless. Especially in the case of a citation, it's just common sense … otherwise you have a situation where police pull somebody over and they let them go only if their illegal. Who would think that's a good idea?"

Given the growing cost and unpopularity of illegal immigration, more and more state legislators are willing to push for tougher enforcement despite the controversy. A round up of state-level legislative and political activity:

California: The state assembly recently passed a resolution urging the federal government to fix the nation's broken immigration system, and the issue has become a hot one in the GOP gubernatorial primary. Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman opposes the Arizona law, although she supports the elimination of sanctuary cities and promises to build "an economic fence" to prevent employers from hiring undocumented workers. Her closest GOP rival, businessman Steve Poizner, dropped his opposition to the Arizona law after it was amended to reduce the risk it would lead to racial profiling. He now supports it, saying: "We are bankrupt. We are out of cash and we need to take some steps to stop the flow of people who are here illegally."

Colorado: Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis, also a former congressman, said he would support "very similar" legislation is elected governor. McInnis, a former police officer, supports laws mandating that all non-citizens should required to carry documents proving their legal status. Outgoing Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter said he would veto a law that mirrors Arizona's.

Florida: Support for tougher immigration laws is very strong in the Sunshine state. A Rasmussen poll released Wednesday shows that 62 percent of Florida voters "favor a law like Arizona’s that authorizes local police to stop and verify the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio, the U.S. Senate candidate, has voiced serious reservations with the Arizona law however.

Georgia: Former congressman Nathan Deal, a Republican running for Georgia governor, says that as governor of George he would work to enact similar legislation. He says border states have suffered "war-like conditions triggered by the violence of drug cartels."

Maryland: In a state that used to openly issue driver's licenses to illegals, GOP state delegate Pat McDonough has introduced a bill that he calls "a copy of the Arizona law." McDonough does not expect it to pass in the current session of the legislature, but is surveying colleagues to gauge support.

Missouri: Republican state representative Mark Parkinson has submitted an Arizona-style bill to the Missouri House, but says there probably isn't enough time to squeeze it through the Senate. He believes it will have a better chance in the next session.

Nebraska: In July, voters will rule on a proposal to ban the hiring illegals or otherwise "harboring" them.

North Carolina: Groups opposed to illegal immigration have said there is an overwhelming likelihood that legislation similar to Arizona's will be filed. They probably don't have the votes to get the measure passed, however.

Oklahoma: A court has struck down key provisions of a law intended to discourage illegal immigration, while letting stand a requirement that employers use the E-Verify system to establish residency status before hiring an employee.

Ohio: State Rep. Courtney Combs, a Republican, recently wrote a letter to Gov. Ted Strickland and top state legislators urging that they enact strong new immigration laws. Strickland, a Democrat, said he would not sign such a bill. Combs hopes to circumvent Strickland by putting the question to the voters directly. "I have had so many people call and volunteer to help us get this on the ballot," Combs told CNSNews.com. "I firmly believe if we get this on the ballot, it will pass. That would be an amazing feat, for the people to override the governor."

Texas: Two lone star Republicans are planning to introduce Arizona-type measures. That probably won't sit well with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has already voiced his opposition to the Arizona measure. Rep. Debbie Riddle of Tomball and Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler both say they support the legislation.

Utah: State GOP Rep. Stephen Sandstorm says he has the votes he needs to pass a law that would require immigrants to carry proof of status, direct law officers to question people they have reason to believe may be in the country illegally, and would target businesses that hire or transport undocumented workers.

How many of these proposals are ultimately enacted is anybody's guess. "It will probably be sort of a mixed bag," Mehlman says. "I think some states will probably wait to see how all this shakes out in the courts."

[leroy]

Interesting read. It will be interesting to see just what (...if anything...) the Federal Government tries to stop this. I believe that there is nothing (...other than threats to states...) that can be done due to this:

...The Arizona measure directs police to question lawful residency only after individuals have been stopped on reasonable suspicion of having violated another law. ....

. I believe that this is one of the first shots in the new battle of states rights vs the federal government. It will be interesting to watch.

Thanks for posting it.

Kind regards,

Leroy

[Guest FroggyOne2]

I feel that we in Tennessee need to join in!

[Guest PapaB]

Utah: State GOP Rep. Stephen Sandstorm says he has the votes he needs to pass a law that would require immigrants to carry proof of status...

Federal law requires this so States should have no problems mirroring Federal law.

The anti's will argue against these laws calling them immigration laws. These are, in fact, illegal immigration laws. This is about securing the sovereignty of our Nation, not about immigration. Many illegals are not Mexican, or even Hispanic. Europeans and Orientals will travel into Mexico to cross our borders too. This needs to stop IMHO.

[leroy]

More interesting reading from Reuters via Drudge:

Link here: Crime riles Arizonans bent on immigration crackdown | Reuters

Crime riles Arizonans bent on immigration crackdown

10:31am EDT

By Tim Gaynor

MESA, Arizona (Reuters) - Following a tip, a police SWAT team closed off the street, put a school on lock-down and then burst through the door of a shabby house where dozens of illegal immigrants were sheltering.

The sheriff's deputies caught three men who took off running and arrested 24 people they suspected of being illegal immigrants recently arrived from Mexico.

"There were fire and police people going back and forth, the road closed off ... It was chaotic," said Virginia Mongold, who watched the operation unfold on Monday, the 56th such raid in the Phoenix valley this year.

Illegal immigration and border-related crime have residents like Mongold and their elected officials riled enough that Arizona passed the United States' toughest immigration law last month -- unleashing a fiery debate over crime, racial profiling and policing that reverberated far beyond the state's borders.

The law seeks to drive illegal immigrants from the desert state, the principal corridor for unauthorized migrants entering the country from Mexico, and a busy entry point for Mexican cartels smuggling drugs to a voracious U.S. market.

Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer charges the federal government has failed in its duty to secure the border with Mexico, and says the state law is needed to curb violence and cut crime stemming from illegal immigration.

As examples of border-related crime, Brewer singled out "drop houses," where smugglers routinely beat migrants to get their money for guiding them over the rugged border, as well as kidnappings linked to the drug trade.

"There is no higher priority than protecting the citizens of Arizona," she said. "We cannot sacrifice our safety to the murderous greed of the drug cartels. We cannot stand idly by as drop houses, kidnappings and violence compromise our quality of life."

'MIGHT AS WELL BE MEXICO'

Almost two-thirds of Arizona voters and a majority of voters nationwide agree with her and support the law, polls show.

But as border crime grabs headlines in Arizona and beyond, U.S. government figures show that arrests on the Arizona-Mexico border have been falling since 2000. Violent and property crimes across the desert state have also declined, suggesting the picture is not as dire as Brewer claims.

In the sleepy street in Mesa where the police carried out their raid, residents grappled with their feelings about illegal immigration and border crime -- who is to blame for it and the best way to respond to it.

Mongold, a young mother who works at a small packaging store nearby, backs the law and blames Washington for failing to secure the border and stem illegal immigration from Mexico.

"I'm angry, I'm frustrated, I might as well be in Mexico there's so many of them," she said, referring to the 460,000 illegal immigrants estimated to live and work in the state, many as day laborers, landscapers, maids and restaurant cooks.

At the Mesa Preparatory Academy, which police locked down in the recent raid, principal Robert Wagner was more cautious about the threat posed by crime and immigration.

"It's somewhat disconcerting that it's going on in our neighborhood, but I don't believe that we are living or operating in fear," he said, choosing his words carefully.

"It is important to look at the facts before drawing a conclusion, and that's part of what we teach in this school." He declined to say whether he supported the law.

The Arizona state law catapulted immigration back to the forefront of U.S. politics and piled pressure on President Barack Obama to deliver on an election promise to Hispanics to overhaul immigration laws and create a path to citizenship for the country's estimated 10.8 million undocumented immigrants.

Obama said on Wednesday he wanted to begin work on immigration reform this year and that federal officials would mintor the new law in Arizona for civil rights implications.

Local law enforcement agencies in Arizona are divided over the measure, which requires state and local police to arrest those unable to provide proof they are in the country legally.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Sheriff Clarence Dupnik from the southern county of Pima, slammed it as "unnecessary ... a travesty, and most significantly ... unconstitutional."

The view echoed misgivings by Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris who said that determining immigration status detracted from the main job of curbing violent and property crimes.

The tough law is set to come into effect in late July, but faces legal challenges from a variety of plaintiffs, including police officers, civil rights groups and city councils.

(Editing by Mary Milliken and Chris Wilson)

Leroy

[DavidM]

I feel that we in Tennessee need to join in!

+1 there, FroggyOne2! How about a swing in the other direction?

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Phoenix-Suns-send-strong-messages-on-Cinco-de-Mayo

I am not a basketball fan, but even if I were, I don't think I could be a Suns fan!!!!

[Guest 1817ak47]

where can I vote in these online polls to show our SUPPORT for these laws to show that us citizens support this new law and not oppose it since other sttes are going against the obama administration because they see strong public support for this

TN where are you

[Guest 6.8 AR]

What's really ironic about this is if Obama did actually enforce the existing laws and

finished the fence, it would give him a great edge in his re-election attempt. Instead,

the idealogue plays the wrong card. It's that big a deal. It's law enforcement, not gun

control, that he could win the votes with. Instead his outright lies about guns going

south of the border to get gun control in the US, will backfire on him.

Funny, on one of the broadcasts I saw a big SEIU banner in the angry mob. If ACORN

was still around I'm confident they would be well represented. The radicals are all

over this and their actions will cause more trouble.

Tennessee would do well to pass the same legislation.

"But as border crime grabs headlines in Arizona and beyond, U.S. government figures show that arrests on the Arizona-Mexico border have been falling since 2000. Violent and property crimes across the desert state have also declined, suggesting the picture is not as dire as Brewer claims."

If you don't enforce the laws, what can you expect the report to show?

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

I feel that we in Tennessee need to join in!

I'll third your motion Froggy.....

Next....

[leroy]

I'll third your motion Froggy.....

Next....

Me too. Found this on another forum. Link here:Ruger Forum

...Here is something you may find interesting about the Arizona Illegal Immegration Bill SB1070. It is long but Arizona Senator Sylvia Allen explains why she voted for SB1070. As she points out FREEDOM is not FREE!

I urge you all to read this. It is very insightful.

Food for thought,

Leroy