Arizona’s ‘False Leadership’ on Immigration Policy
New America Media, Q&A with Jennifer Allen, Elena Shore, Posted: Jun 17, 2009
Editor's Note: After being held up in a budget stalemate, the Arizona legislature is now rushing to pass a number of unprecedented anti-immigration bills, including one bill that would make it a felony to be undocumented. Jennifer Allen, executive director of Border Action Network, says that the economic and political climate in the state may make it hard to block some of these bills. But, she says, the people of Arizona -- outraged over what their legislature is doing -- are finally taking a stand. She spoke with NAM editor Elena Shore.
The Arizona legislature is considering some very harsh immigration-related bills. What is their status?
Jennifer Allen, executive director of
Border Action Network
We have about 20 bills on our watch list. My guess is that you have probably heard about SB 1175, which is Illegal Aliens Enforcement and Trespassing, SB 1280, Concealing, Harboring or Shielding Aliens, and HB 2331, Federal Immigration Law Enforcement.
SB 1175 just passed the Senate Monday. It’s the same bill that has been introduced by Sen. Russell Pearce now for several years. The majority of the bills that are on our watch list were all introduced by Russell Pearce. And he is the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Especially in these economic times, where Arizona is in one of our worst budget deficits ever and the legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer are at a stalemate and have not yet passed a budget for the fiscal year, Russell Pearce wields a lot of power.
Why is the relationship between the legislature and the governor so strained?
This is a Republican governor appointed after our previous governor, Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, was promoted up to Homeland Security Secretary. Our expectation when Gov. Brewer was put in was that she would follow the lead of the legislature. However, given the extent of our economic crisis, she looked at the numbers and said, ‘We cannot continue to cut taxes.’ She’s proposed a one percent increase in taxes. That has our Arizona legislature livid. So there’s this battle going on where they’re trying to push her around. There’s this whole drama going on and crisis in the state of Arizona where we don’t have a budget and we’re looking at a state shutdown as of Jan. 30. Nonetheless, Senator Pearce is charging ahead with all these anti-immigrant bills that will only be a detriment to the state of Arizona.
What would the Illegal Aliens Enforcement and Trespassing bill entail?
It has two components to it. The first part is that the bill would prohibit any city, country or town of the state of Arizona to adopt any kind of policy that would limit the enforcement of federal immigration laws to the full extent permitted by federal law.
In the legislature, they’ve been talking about this as trying to attack these so-called sanctuary cities in the state of Arizona, of which there are none. At all. We have a couple of police departments around the state, Tucson, Phoenix, Chandler, that have police policies that provide protections to victims and witnesses of crimes, that if they are undocumented, immigration will not be called.
The other piece of the bill – I think it would be the first one in the country – would say that anyone who is on public or private land in the state of Arizona could be charged with a felony, with criminal trespass, if they cannot prove that they are in the country legally.
Essentially it would become this statewide racial profiling law, where law enforcement sees somebody who, completely based on their appearance, they think may not be in the country legally, they can go up and ask them to prove their lawful presence in the country. And if they can’t prove it, the state can then charge them with criminal trespass.
What are the arguments behind this bill?
There are two really disturbing and shameful statements. One is that Russell Pearce thinks that the Border Patrol is simply too effective. They pick people up, and then they’re so promptly deported that they never serve any time in the state of Arizona. So he wants people to be picked up and sent off to Joe Arpaio’s tent cities or other county or city jails, and then handed over to immigration. And last year, the Phoenix Police Officers’ Association had said that they liked this bill because it would give them 'preventative police powers.'
SB 1175, as grossly unconstitutional as it seems -– I mean it kind of destroys the notion of probable cause for stopping and questioning people -- this bill is moving quickly through the legislature. It was heard in Committee on the 10th, and by the 15th it passed the entire Senate and was passed over to the House.
What’s the reason for it passing so quickly?
Our legislature has been entirely focused on trying to put together a budget that both houses could pass, and that happened on June 11. So once they got the budget passed through the legislature they opened up the floodgates for all these other bills. Up until June 11, I think there were only about four bills that had actually been passed by the legislature. Normally by now, we would have 1,000 bills passed.
Legislature is supposed to conclude on the 30th. So committees have doubled their schedule so instead of meeting once or twice, they are meeting three and four times.
And the anti-immigrant bills are among the top bills that they are looking at right now?
Yes. Shockingly. Given that all of the health and human service programs have been cut by a third in this state, and we are looking at massive social problems because of the financial crisis. But in spite of all of that, they are pushing forward with anti-immigrant bills.
Is this different from what’s happened in the rest of the country? We’ve seen 287g where local police cooperate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). But this seems to be local police creating their own law.
Yes. And we have about eight 287g agreements in the state of Arizona. And one in particular, in Maricopa County, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has actually done something where his sheriff’s deputies have been cross-trained as ICE agents. But he’s also cross-trained ICE agents to be able to enforce local laws. As far as I’m aware, I think that’s the only example of that happening in the country.
So, at all sorts of levels – at the state legislature, it’s Russell Pearce who supports Sheriff Arpaio who then also supports County Attorney Andrew Thomas. We then have the legislative branch, the administrative branch of law enforcement, and then the county attorney. One makes the laws, one applies the laws, and the other interprets the laws – all looking for as many possible ways to be able to isolate, marginalize and target immigrant families in the state of Arizona.
What are the other bills being debated?
House Bill 2331 is essentially the same language that is in SB 1175 that says that municipalities and counties are prohibited from enacting ordinances that in any way limit or prohibit the law enforcement of federal immigration laws. Pearce has a bill out right now where school districts need to report the number of undocumented children they have in the school system. He’s got a bill about excluding people who use a taxpayer identification number to apply for a loan. There’s one for public housing, saying you’ve got to prove lawful presence to reside in public housing.
Border Action Network and other groups have been successful at knocking a lot of these down or blocking a lot of them.
Last year, not a single anti-immigrant bill passed into law. We got a number of them defeated in the legislature. There were two that were sent to the governor’s office and we got her to veto them.
What are the prospects this year?
This year, the numbers are simply not in our favor. Last year we had Gov. Napolitano who we had a good working relationship with. This legislature and this governor are completely shut to talking with us, and not only us, but they’re shut down to talking to anybody. The governor is not talking to Democrats. The Republicans in the legislature are not talking to the governor. The Democrats in legislature don’t talk to one another.
It will be very, very difficult to prevent some of these bills from making it to the governor’s desk. And it will be difficult for her not to sign them.
What strategies is Border Action Network using to block these bills?
We have been encouraging our supporters and our members to send emails to their legislators, and we’ve been sending out e-alerts every time a bill comes to committee. Last year, we were getting 200 people responding. The last couple of major votes on the floor, we had more than 2,000 emails sent to the legislature. People are outraged in the state of Arizona and feel like we have been so grossly misrepresented, and our state has been so negatively tainted by really false leadership. Russell Pearce does not represent people here. Yet his legislation has dominated the image of the state.
A few years ago, the debates over immigration reform seemed to end up strengthening the anti-immigration movement. Could that be true today?
Immigration reform advocates across the country are better organized, much more strategic and represent broader constituencies now than ever before. We are better prepared and better organized to push for comprehensive immigration reform in the next 12 months. Faith communities, immigrant communities, service providers, business communities, labor unions have all been coming together under one banner for immigration reform and that is an enormous step forward. It puts the ball in the court of the president to demonstrate that his commitment to immigration reform is more than words.
Related Articles:
Arizona Legislators Want to Jail Undocumented
As Obama Promises Immigration Reform, State Backlash Continues
Department of Justice to Investigate Sheriff Arpaio
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User Comments
TL Winslow on Jul 08, 2009 at 20:15:48 said:
The age-old pesky U.S.-Mexico border problem has taxed the resources of both countries, led to long lists of injustices, and appears to be heading only for worse troubles in the future. Guess what? The border problem can never be solved. Why? Because the border IS the problem! It's time for a paradigm change.
Never fear, a satisfying, comprehensive solution is within reach: the Megamerge Dissolution Solution. Simply dissolve the border along with the failed Mexican government, and megamerge the two countries under U.S. law, with mass free 2-way migration eventually equalizing the development and opportunities permanently, with justice and without racism, and without threatening U.S. sovereignty or basic principles.
Google "Megamerge Dissolution Solution".
Yuma Born on Jun 22, 2009 at 10:51:11 said:
Arizona has been and always will be a cesspool. The economy there is upside down and they can only blame their own righteous behavior. The people of Arizona like the people on Wall Street have plundered and sent our Great Nation into a tailspin. Would you believe that just like the people on Wall Street they blame everyone but themselves for cheating and stealing! It is true that some of these people made a lot of money but it is more true that they shamed Wall Street and more importantly America around the world. This is why Arizona has an upside down economy. Can you believe that the Wilbur's and Lucinda's keep following these fat cats over the cliff. I don't get it!
Paul P. on Jun 22, 2009 at 03:49:14 said:
Nearly all Federal crimes including arson, bank fraud, bank robbery, bribery, carjacking, child pornography, identity theft, identity fraud and many more are enforced at the state, local and federal levels.
So why would these hypocrites feel illegal immigration is any different? It's obviously just a stall tactic that some radical extreme far-left judges have sided with to circumvent the law.
Those who come here illegally, steal our IDs and ignore our laws have already demonstrated they lack the honesty and decency to ever become American citizens.
a.) Enforce the existing immigration laws.
b.) Secure the border.
c.) Don't hire illegal aliens.
d.) No anchor babies.
e.) Deportation through attrition.
MaryJ on Jun 19, 2009 at 17:48:16 said:
Arizona doesn't want to become a Third World toilet like California. Seems simple to me. They saw what we became because of mass illegal immigration, and they decided to take steps not to follow in our path. This lady is invited to tour California's numerous violant, gang-filled, Third World neighborhoods without an escort and then maybe she'll understand why Arizonans support these laws.
Brittanicus on Jun 18, 2009 at 16:57:41 said:
The only way that illegal immigration occupational army will be--ERADICATED--for good, is the paramount overwhelming pressure of public awareness bearing down on their Senators and Congressman? THE COST TO SUPPORT THESE ILLEGAL PEOPLE IS UNCOUNTABLE! Say--YES--to e-verify! It will empty the workplace of illegal labor stealing jobs. Errors can be resolved at the Social Security office, where illegal workers wouldn't dare to go. Say--NO--to any AMNESTY. Outside of this--NOTHING WILL HAPPEN--EXCEPT ANOTHER PRE-ARRANGED AMNESTY, THAT TAXPAYERS WILL GET THE BILL FOR INFINITY. Digest more of the facts and unbiased truth at NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIALWATCH,CAPSWEB, ALIPAC, AMERICANPATROL, THEDARKSIDEOFILLEGALIMMIGRATION & ILLEGALIMMIGRATIONDAILY.
Doug R. on Jun 18, 2009 at 11:18:30 said:
Illegal immigrants blew their shot. We US citizens of ALL races (this is not just a \"white\" country) seen the disrespect. We seen the foreign flags flying from people who say they wish to be part of the USA. Not to be rude but if someone has that much pride in their country why did they leave it in the first place. The USA is a country not a motel. We see the impact illegal immigrants have on healthcare, prisons, schools etc.
We see the sense of ENTITLEMENT from people who broke our laws comming here. Our immigration policy is set by the US government not by outside forces there is a little word called sovereignty. We press 1 for English as if we are guests in our own country. I honestly can not believe the disrespect these people have and I am all for enforcement of the laws and making life as hard as possible for them to get them out! Arizona is understanding that if action is not taken they will end up like California.
So many illegal immigrants have in California are from Mexico and so many have a loyalty to Mexico. So I say we give California to Mexico--let them have it. Then they can pay the money to keep it going instead of the USA as they have already ruined it.
frank kinney on Jun 17, 2009 at 20:33:56 said:
just terrible how city after city is going broke and the problem is wasted tax dollars on illegal criminal invaders! special interest groups? stimulus volunteers what 6 billion dollars for 250,000 volunteers? billions of tax dollars spent on health care education crime prison on people who simply should not even be here in first place! still open borders? ports of entry? women children being abducted ghetto's being created by state after state legislation who do for nothing about nothing for years now? both parties are responsible and we sit and watch them go back and fourth stopping protecting illegal activity across are whole dam country! foreign this foreign that priorities like watching a tennis match that never seems to end with positive conclusion for the home team U.S.! new thrid party is the answer on large scale americans on one USA page! YET EVEN THIS IS IN JEAPARDY with acorn voter fraud and die-bold machines like 08 was? freaken criminal empire this whole united states goverment. crooks stinken common crooks in public office on some deranged agenda for which we americans are not on that page period. homosexual agenda benefits the works? we pick up the tabs for perverted legislation for perverted live style! we gain nothing from it only more perverts? illegal invaders we gain NOTHING from it but more taxes and population of foreign unkown people? citizenship please! benefits who? WHO? cheap labor force? we get tax! tax! tax! chamber of foreign commerce best interest? our children take back seat to foreign invaders agression on U.S.? we pay in so so many ways for this total neglect from our well tax payed goverment for the people joke? top health care too and secure retirement and pay nothing into social security either? we stick our thumbs in our mouth and what hope they will do something for U.S.! we are all getting very very tired of this endless nightmare thats only getting worse day after day year after year. nothing but nothing they do benefits U.S. PERIOD. hot getting hot is the only answer to this bunch of sissy filled goverment. over 75 percent of americans want enforcement for how many years NOW? they spit at U.S.? TICKING TICKING TIME BOMB! INDEPENDENT army! god bless americans. AMEN.
Maria caldero on Jun 17, 2009 at 20:17:28 said:
I don't believe any state releases hard core criminals after 3 or 4 years, and certainly not California, the "state of higher incarceration".
Unreasonably long sentences; unjustly denying parole to serious offenders who have served their time and are not, or no longer are, dangerous; replacing mental hospitals with prison time; and the broken, overwhelmed parole system are ruining salvageable lives, not making us safer, and bankrupting the state.
If Arizona goes through with the idea of selling their state prisons to private corporations for 50 years, it will never dig itself out.
The more inmates a private prison warehouses, the more profit. Treat 'em like junk yard dogs, and that's what they become. The increased recidivism rate will run the state into the poor house.
Arizona cannot pay for the prisons it has now. How can it possibly handle more immigrants that will be arrested as "felons"? Illegal immigration a hard problem without easy solutions, but with 1 of every 100 people in the United States behind bars, we should not increase that number.
Estoban on Jun 17, 2009 at 17:32:34 said:
We are a consensual society under a Constitution that provides rights, freedoms and the mechanics to create laws that we citizens live by. Citizens accept that breaking our laws results in proscribed punishments. An unholy alliance of lawbreaking illegal aliens, criminal employers and elected officials that look the other way are hypocrites and anarchists. They feel that they can pick and choose which laws are convenient for them to follow and willingly break those that are personally inconvenient. This breaks down our legal system and works against the rule of law that we depend upon for our daily safety and national security. All lawbreaking illegal aliens should be deported, all criminal employers should be jailed and elected officials that have failed to carry out their oath of office to defend the Constitution and our laws should be fired, voted out of office, impeached and perhaps charged with criminal dereliction of duty. If they don't pass these bills in the state legislature, then we'll pass them as propositions, and continue to until the invasion of visa overstayers and border jumpers stops. duennaThe 1986 amnesty was a total failure. Never again!
proudconservative95020 on Jun 17, 2009 at 17:05:50 said:
Look no further than here in California and the dismal state we are in thanks a large part to open border Democrats not cracking down on illegal immigration. Small towns like Gilroy and Salinas are swamped in gangs, hospitals over crowded etc. Jobs are being lost to illegal non tax paying employers circumventing employee taxes by hiring illegal aliens over legal workers. 40% of all workers in LA county are paid under the table while they use our public resources. Vote out any and all open border politicians (usually democrats) in 2010.
David on Jun 17, 2009 at 14:56:13 said:
Look another La RaZa organization.
The states are not enacting "anti-immigration" laws, just immigration control laws. The majority of problem people come from South america. California is a prime example of what happens when illegal immigration is allowed to exist unchecked. Mexicans after having trashed their own country, now want to trash mine. The USA is NOT the landfill of the world. Take your asses back home, fix your country, and live their happily
Happy in California on Jun 17, 2009 at 13:52:18 said:
Unfortunately, there is many differences. Did you forget the tax money that illegals give in California?..no they dont get everything free!...oh and i do agree that they could get out of welfare but you forgot they cant work better jobs because of this system...No one would say anything when the economy was doing good right?...Since its doing bad know they point the finger at the illegal immigrants?..ofcourse no one will blame the war anymore right?..or bad leadership. You complain about jobs. Well they are there go get them! dont blame Illegals(mexicans)for taking your jobs. You dont even want those jobs. I just hate it that people dont get their facts straight. Look throughout the entire country you think that illegals are only on welfare?..get your facts straight. The United States have always benefited from foreigners..Look at slavery up to now. The united states reap from others work. But when they want rights you turn your backs on them and start pointing out things that ofcourse they will have because the system you created is not to succeed....and then here comes the people that lash out at them. Its the same story all over again. As for me if you are wondering..i am an illegal and you know what i did not come here on my own...my parents brought me when i was a child. Im an adult know with 2 kids and my family is not in welfare. I pay taxes and never get a penny back. My wife is a citizen but i can get any form of legalization. there is no law that benefits me. Im waiting for the president to do something about people like me. I would love to go back to Mexico, but i cant. its a foreign country to me. All I have ever known is the u.s. and I love San Diego. Despite all the claims of illegals being at fault, for some reason it feels as if they only target mexicans.
Dan on Jun 17, 2009 at 12:54:58 said:
Here is a reason I think we must give second chance to Illegal immigrants....
I agree with everyone that says people who come to USA without Visa or overstay their visa break immigration laws of our country. They must be punished for that. But don't u think coming to USA walking those miles in killer & lonely desert itself is punishment. working in farms, construction, restaurants and factories like slaves is punishment, living without any rights or driving license is punishment.... I guess we have punished them a lot. They do deserve better life after scarifying so much, its not that they are here for fun, they come here for better life for themselves and their kids just like our Great grandparents did for us.
Even a hardcore criminals like bank robbers, rapist and con-artist are given Second chance after serving 3-4 years in prison. I guess a life of illegal is worse then being in prison. While working, undocumented workers endure unfair treatment and wages because they fear being fired or reported to immigration or cops.
Just like every other criminal they too deserve a second chance, or we just want to keep them as slaves forever?
Businesses and Farms do need illegal aliens for our own good (to produce cheap stuff) , If we din't need then we would have already deported them years ago. As long as there are Farms and Factories in USA there will we Illegals to work as slaves and cheap.
Necessity(cheap products) is the mother of invention (cheap labor / illegal immigrants)... So, guys chill and don't worry. Politicians know that illegals are good for us all or we would have become expensive country like European Countries already! Not only Mexicans every European wanna come to USA... They are here to stay we like it or not, we must get them into the system and start taxing them too! No more FREEBIES
Seven 8 Nine on Jun 17, 2009 at 12:00:08 said:
Your organization needs to be walking the halls of the Arizona legislature and doing as many media interviews as you can about what is the costs going to be to the State of Arizona for cities to transport illegal immigrants to jail, process them, hold them for court, prosecute them, and put them in prison. What will also be the cost if they have US born kids that are placed in foster care programs. Senator Pearce does this without cost estimates. It costs more than $40,000 a year just to house one prisoner. How many illegal immigrants does it take to add up to $2 billion a year? Include the unknown costs of foster care and you could very well be looking at $3 billion. My goodness the state's budget is only $8.2 billion this year. Even if my figures are wrong it will still be a big hit against the state's budget. Where is the legislature going to get the money to pay for all of these new criminals. Get the news out because Arizona taxpayers do not have this information and the news media has ignored the cost factor.
Mad in California on Jun 17, 2009 at 11:07:12 said:
I only wish there was a bill here in California to help us with the cascade of illegal immigrants using every possible service in the city. They get subsidized housing, food stamps, health care, schooling all FREE. Of course taxpayers get to pick up the tab. But taxpayers have no representation in this system.
LA is a sanctuary city. Sadly our governor (ARNIE)doesn't think we have any budgetary problems connected to the illegal immigrant overload and has chosen to raise taxes for everyone else. Our sales tax is 9.25%. We are taxed on water, trash, property, you name it.
We can't get health care due to pre-existing conditions. No body gives us free food, the schools are overcrowded, as we watch the property taxes rise to meet the needs of all the illegal immigrants getting everything FREE.
Of course the citizens are outraged. We need our laws enforced. California loses over 9 BILLION dollars per year giving away these free services to illegal immigrants. We are much closer to bankruptcy than AZ. But our governor would rather tax us to the teeth and rob the schools of teachers instead of deporting illegal immigrants.
Arizona's got it right this time.
JSmith on Jun 17, 2009 at 08:57:28 said:
"Given that all of the health and human service programs have been cut by a third in this state, and we are looking at massive social problems because of the financial crisis. But in spite of all of that, they are pushing forward with anti-immigrant bills."
Don't you think that deporting the illegal aliens who are using services paid for by taxpayers will help to reduce this burden? I definately do. And an honest person would say that these are not Anti-Immigrant bills, they are Anti-Illegal Immigrant bills -- I am sure they don't apply to those who entered the US honestly.
black saint on Jun 17, 2009 at 06:54:18 said:
California the Golden state, American future, is fast becoming the poster child for an bankrupt third world State!
-->An unholy alliance of Socialist Democrat politicians, Unions, and Illegal Aliens supporters are feasting at the trough of tax payers paid benefits while taxing & regulating business and the tax paying public into poverty.
The pandering of Left Wing Democrat Politicians to their constituency of Illegal Aliens, open border supporters, and unions are driving business and citizens to other states & countries, while leaving the parasites & welfare leeches in an increasing bankrupt, crime ridden, dysfunctional state!
For years California has ignored economics 101 and imported poverty, Criminals and uneducated Peons from Mexico, which increased Medical, Welfare, Crime, Prison, etc. & adding a estimated 16 billion per year to Calif. State expense to provide for the invading horde of Illegal Aliens while exporting business and educated working tax payers.
Like all Socialist & Marxist States the results have been a astronomical increase in social welfare, schooling, prison cost etc. and a lowing of Living standards, Education standards, Tax receipts & finally Bankruptcy.
Failure to abide by our Constitution against invasion & enforce our Immigration laws and constraints on wages and benefits for public employees will result in turning the Golden State into MexiCalif and the end of the California dream!
The policies of Obama and Wash. DC Democrats are intent on following Calif. policies and are resulting in the same creeping socialist process across American.
Amnesty & Citizenship as a reward for their invasion of the USA, will result in the rest of the USA turned into a Spanish speaking third world cesspool, modeled on Mexico and follow California into a polluted, over populated, Spanish speaking third world Nation of Crime, Corruption, Poverty, Cruelly & Misery!
This will result in a population depending on Welfare and the Democrat party, thus assuring the lock on power for the Socialist Democrat party of the United States of Mexico!