Arizona lawmakers on Tuesday passed one of the toughest pieces of immigration-enforcement legislation in the country, which would make it a violation of state law to be in the U.S. without proper documentation.
It would also grant police the power to stop and verify the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being illegal.
The bill could still face a veto from Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. A spokesman for Ms. Brewer said she has not publicly commented on the bill. Ms. Brewer, a Republican, has argued for stringent immigration laws.
Under the measure, passed Tuesday by Arizona's lower house, after being passed earlier by the state Senate, foreign nationals are required to carry proof of legal residency.
Needless to say, if it isn't vetoed, various groups that support open borders and rights for illegal aliens are poised to challenge the law in court.
Just for the record, I use the term 'illegal aliens' rather than PC euphemisms like 'immigrants' or 'undocumented workers' deliberately and unapologetically, and I wish more people did. Just as it's vitally important not to demonize people who are mostly simply seeking a better and easier life for themselves, it's important to call things by their right names.
Immigrants are people who have legal permission to migrate and settle from one country to another. The term does not and should not be used to refer to people who made a unilateral decision to simply jump the border and take unfair advantage of proximity while thousands of people who are going through the excruciating process of becoming legal immigrants have to wait in line for the wheels to turn. And as far as I'm concerned, people who refer to 'immigration reform' do the country a disservice.
But wait, there's more:
In a statement, Tuesday Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) called the measure "a comprehensive immigration enforcement bill that addresses the concerns of our communities, constituents and colleagues."
"This updated version gives our local police officers the tools they need to combat illegal immigration, while protecting the civil rights of citizens and legal residents."However, human rights groups are certain to challenge the measure in court, said Joe Rubio, lead organizer for Valley Interfaith Project, a Phoenix-based advocacy group, calling it "an economic train wreck." He added that "Arizona's economic recovery will lag way behind the country's if we keep chasing away our workforce. Where do the legislators think business will find workers?"
Where will they find workers? Has Mr. Rubio looked at the unemploymwent figures lately? Especially in the construction industry? Has he noticed how difficult it's becoming for teenagers to find summer jobs when the usual outlets can hire an illegal alien who isn't going to leave in September? Has he noticed how hard it is for underemployed adults to find a second job to help support their families?
And what about the enormous amounts of money illegal aliens cost Arizona, a border state with certain fiscal issues that need to be addressed in terms of crime, infrastructure and social welfare expenses?
What about border security in a post 9/11 age?
Is he really that clueless? Or does he simply have a political agenda that trumps everything?
Legal residents of Arizona are required to carry and turn over identification to law enforcement on request.Are we at the point where we're going to have two sets of laws, one for illegal aliens and one for everyone else?
I hope not.
Stances like that of Mr. Rubio and his political soul-mates amount to defending the righ tof a certain group of people to break our laws.
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