Arizona's Border Burden

washingtonpost.com ^ | July 8, 2007 | David S. Broder

[Earthdweller]

Hours after the immigration reform bill he had championed went down to defeat, Sen. John McCain told me what he thought would happen next. "You will see the states and cities scrambling to pass their own laws and regulations," he said, "and you're going to get a completely contradictory set of policies."

It did not take long for McCain's prediction to be confirmed -- right in his home state of Arizona. Four days after the Senate killed the comprehensive immigration bill supported by President Bush, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, signed a bill that the state's Republican Legislature had passed imposing extremely tough sanctions on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

Napolitano, who had vetoed somewhat similar legislation a year earlier, said in a statement that she decided to approve "the most aggressive action in the country" against such employers "because it is now abundantly clear that Congress finds itself incapable of coping with the comprehensive immigration reforms our country needs."

[sourcery]

In other words, because Congress failed to do the bidding of the elites, Arizona did the right thing all by itself. Which means the system of Federalism established by the Founders worked. And that’s just one reason the leftist Washington comPost is pissed.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Toll free to the US Senate:

1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)

Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE Washington, D.C. 20003
phone: 202.863.8500 | fax: 202.863.8820 | e-mail: info@gop.com

Take a look at their hidden agenda: http://www.mexica-movement.org

[Earthdweller]

A list of States actions and pending actions courtesy of Freeper Buzzm1.

At least 18 states have enacted laws concerning illegal immigrants. Most of the legislation is seen as punitive, and it reflects legislators’ anger at the federal government’s inability to seal the southern border and at provisions in the Senate bill that would allow the 12 million illegal immigrants already here a path to citizenship.

Arizona - Its new law effectively sets up a two-strikes penalty. A business employing an illegal immigrant would have its business license suspended temporarily. A second offense would mean a permanent revocation of that license. A proposal would let police ask people they arrest about their citizenship status and seize them if they cannot produce proper documents. Arizona Rep. Russell Pearce (R) said Bush’s support of the guest-worker provision in the Senate bill “made me sick.” He called it “a sellout of America” and said: “I’m more than frustrated. I will do everything I can to unelect folks who sell out America.”

Arkansas - Immigration officials say a regional task force could be created in northwest Arkansas so a group of law officers from several agencies could be trained to enforce immigration laws. - still in the process of enacting legislation to force employers to verify their workers’ legal status

Colorado - still in the process of enacting legislation to force employers to verify their workers’ legal status

Hawaii - still in the process of enacting legislation to force employers to verify their workers’ legal status

Idaho—Similar measures to Oklahoma are being considered

Maryland lawmakers defeated a proposal that would have let illegal immigrants pay in-state college tuition. Lawmakers are still considering a measure that would place a 5 percent surcharge on wire transfers to Mexico.

Michigan, lawmakers considered stripping health and welfare benefits from undocumented immigrants.

Missouri Sen. Chris Koster, a Republican, said that when he tried to push a law through the GOP-controlled chamber that would force employers to verify the status of workers, his colleagues defeated it handily, expressing concern about its impact on business.

Nebraska — Similar measures to Oklahoma are being considered

North Carolina growers need immigrant workers in order to thrive, but passing legislation friendly to illegal immigrants is difficult.

Oklahoma, Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, signed by Gov. Brad Henry (D) last month, restricts illegal immigrants’ access to all forms of official identification, bars them from receiving public assistance and metes out stiff fines to employers who hire them. “Illegal immigrants will not come to Oklahoma if there are no jobs waiting for them,” said state Rep. Randy Terrill (R), who wrote his state’s law, one of the most sweeping in the country.

Oregon, where a House bill would prohibit the state from hiring undocumented workers, said its core supporters are upset by the U.S. Senate bill. “We don’t support amnesty,” said spokesman Shawn Cleave, echoing the position of the North Carolina Republican Party, which proudly said it broke with Bush on the issue.

Pennsylvania, other measures — “so many, like seven,” he said — go after employers who hire illegal immigrants and deny the immigrants themselves benefits and other services.

Tennessee - still in the process of enacting legislation to force employers to verify their workers’ legal status. Tennessee’s governor says, “it’s the Fed’s job, we aren’t doing anything.”

Virginia, House of Delegates, approved a far-reaching proposal to strip charities and other organizations of state and local funding if any of the money is used to provide services to immigrants who are in the country illegally.

West Virginia - still in the process of enacting legislation to force employers to verify their workers’ legal status

[John Jorsett]

Napolitano, who had vetoed somewhat similar legislation a year earlier, said in a statement that she decided to approve "the most aggressive action in the country" against such employers "because it is now abundantly clear that Congress finds itself incapable of coping with the comprehensive immigration reforms our country needs."

I'm sure it had nothing at all to do with her seeing the firestorm that the Senate just went thru over this issue.

I'll take a piecemeal set of individual state and locality bills over that garbage "comprehensive" Senate bill any day.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Not for you, but for Broder:

[Bogtrotter52]

I live here in AZ. Both McCain and kyl are likely betting that the people will have mostly forgotten all about the major part hey played in attempting to sell us out. Ain’t gonna happen guys.

[clintonh8r]

Sadly, Florida is MIA on that list....even with a strongly Republican legislature and a Republican governor. No one wants to “offend” the south Florida Hispanics.

[Sybeck1]

Mississippi also, with Haley Barbour at the helm.

[Molly T.]

If I were a citizen of Arizona, I’d have been furious with your Gov. for overruling the will of the voters of the state and vetoing the bill that would shut aid off to illegals....should have been enough to demand she step down...now here we are a year later.....does she actually see the light?

I live along way from your state so I don’t pretend to know the details...just what was on the news...but I was really disgusted that a Gov. overruled the will of her citizens...just like I was fit to be tied at the pigheadedness of the Senate and our President in pursuing that awful bill....

[stephenjohnbanker]

We have long memories!

[machogirl]

janet also signed it, because she saw the handwriting on the wall if she didn’t

az passed by an overwhelming 30-70 several illegal alien bills, she couldn’t say janet naplita NO to the bill

[Malesherbes]

Memo to McCain: a big difference, sir, is that Arizona will not have the power to convey citizenship on the invaders.

[kabar]

Hey, Broder, it was the other way around. The states and local communities have been passing laws over the past several years because the government has not secured the border. The sense of urgency by the supporters of McCain-Kennedy was to undermine these efforts by making the illegals legal. The question should be, “Why hasn’t the USG secured the border, especially after 9/11?”

[tailgunner]

MR. BUSH, PUT UP THAT WALL!

And man it with the 2d Marine Division!

[Bogtrotter52]

I have long been facinated by this situation (AZ) as well as other states. Mitt Romney was gov. of Mass. after all. And while I do not like it it does seem to indicate that the system does work to keep a “balance” alot of times. You are right Gov. Janet can be infuriating alot of the time. I don’t really know for sure how many states there are where one party has control from top to bottom. Anyone who knows, please chime in.

[Grizzled Bear]

It’s time for Arizona’s Game-Warden to start issuing “Coyote” tags.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Kimberly GG]

Ohio Rep. Seitz introduced this H.B. 654 and it appears to be in committee.

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=126_HB_654

[herMANroberts]

Please add:

California: Sanctuary state.