Arizona Lawmakers
Push New Round of Immigration Restrictions
Published: February 23, 2011 - New York Times
PHOENIX — Arizona lawmakers are proposing a sweeping package of immigration
restrictions that might make the controversial measures the state approved last
year, which the Obama administration went to court to block, look mild.
Illegal immigrants would be barred from driving in the state, enrolling in
school or receiving most public benefits. Their children would receive special
birth certificates that would make clear that the state does not consider them
Arizona citizens.
Some of the bills, like those restricting immigrantsf access to schooling and
right to state citizenship, flout current federal law and are being put forward
to draw legal challenges in hopes that the Supreme
Court might rule in the statefs favor.
Arizona drew considerable scorn last year when it passed legislation
compelling police officers to inquire about the immigration status of those they
stopped whom they suspected were in the country illegally. Critics said the law
would lead to racial profiling of Latinos, and a federal judge agreed that
portions of the law, known as Senate
Bill 1070, were unconstitutional.
Similar legal challenges are likely to come in response to the latest round
of legislation, some of which cleared a key Senate committee early Wednesday
after a long debate that drew hundreds of protesters, some for and some against
the crackdown.
gThis bill is miles beyond S.B. 1070 in terms of its potential to roll back
the rights and fundamental freedoms of both citizens and noncitizens alike,h
said Alessandra Soler Meetze, executive director of the A.C.L.U. of Arizona. She
said the measures would create ga epapers, pleasef societyh and that a new crime
— gdriving while undocumentedh — would be added to the books.
Despite boycotts and accusations that the state has become a haven of
intolerance, Arizona won plaudits last year from immigration hardliners across
the country. On Tuesday night, the Indiana Senate voted to allow its police
officers to question people stopped for infractions on their immigration status,
one of numerous proposals inspired by Arizonafs law.
gIf you are ever going to stop this invasion, and it is an invasion, you have
to quit rewarding people for breaking those laws,h said State Senator Russell
Pearce, the Senate president, who is leading Arizonafs effort to try to make
life so difficult for illegal immigrants that they stop coming, or leave.
Opponents said the changes were a drastic rewriting of the core values of the
country. In Tucson, a community group was so enraged by what it called the
extremist nature of the proposals from Phoenix that it proposed severing the
state in two, creating what some call Baja Arizona.
gDenying citizenship to children because they have parents without documents
is crazy,h said the Rev. Javier Perez, a Roman Catholic priest and immigrant
from Mexico who waited in the legislative chamber into the night Tuesday for a
chance to speak. gHonestly, I donft think anything I say will change their
minds, but itfs immoral what theyfre doing and we have to say this is against
the values of America.h
The measures would compel school officials to ask for proof of citizenship
for students and require hospitals to similarly ask for papers for those
receiving non-emergency care. Illegal immigrants would be blocked from obtaining
any state licenses, including those for marriage. Landlords would be forced to
evict the entire family from public housing if one illegal immigrant were found
living in a unit. Illegal immigrants found driving would face 30 days in jail
and forfeit the vehicle to the state.
The measures are not assured of passage. Although Republicans have a majority
in the Legislature, the restrictions on citizenship failed to win approval in
the Judiciary Committee this month, so they were rerouted to the Appropriations
Committee, where they won passage.
Some state lawmakers said their constituents were furious over the Obama
administrationfs lawsuit challenging the last immigration law and wanted the
state to continue pressing the issue. Gov. Jan
Brewer, a Republican, said the state would file a countersuit against the
federal government accusing it of not enforcing immigration laws.
Supporters of the crackdown include Katie Dionne, who described herself as an
gaverage, everyday Americanh who wanted to prevent illegal immigrants from
changing her way of life. gIf their life is so wonderful why did they leave
where theyfre from?h she asked senators.
Janet
Napolitano, the secretary of homeland security and a former Arizona
governor, cites statistics showing that the influx of illegal immigrants across
the Arizona border has declined markedly with significant increases in federal
resources. But that has done little to ameliorate the feeling of crisis
expressed by many Arizona politicians.
The statefs business community, stung by a boycott that has reduced the
number of conventions in the state, generally opposes the new round of
restrictions. gThis will put Arizona through another trial and hurt innocent
businesspeople who are just trying to get ahead,h said Glenn Hamer of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.