NDN Blog

Arizona Senate Rejects 5 Anti Immigration Bills Including Birthright Citizenship Legislation

Finally some relatively good news coming out of Arizona, last night the State Senate struck down 5 pieces of anti immigration legislation.

The Arizona Republic's  Alia Beard Rau has the full story here:

Arizona won't be leading a national push for the U.S. Supreme Court to strip citizenship status from children of illegal immigrants - at least not this year.  The state Senate voted down a package of birthright-citizenship bills, with Republicans split over the measures and Democrats opposed.

The other types of legislation struck down would have done the following:

1. Banned illegal immigrants from state universities.

2. Made it a crime for illegal immigrants to drive a vehicle in Arizona.

3. Required school districts to check the legal status of students.

4. Required hospitals to check the legal status of patients.

Perhaps most importantly, over and over legislators from both parties voiced their concerns that passing anti-immigrant legislation would be damaging for the economy and small businesses that operated in Arizona:

Sen. Steve Yarbrough, R-Chandler, said the state should be focused on its budget and not on a divisive issue that puts Arizona in a bad light. He said he didn't believe the bills would accomplish their larger goal.

Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, said the bills would be bad for business. "As we continue to try and improve Arizona's economy, to try and bring in new businesses to the state of Arizona, these types of legislation are not helping us move the economy forward," Gallardo said.

Consideration for the economic impact of passing more anti-immigrant legislation weighed heavily on the emotionally charged debate. It is unclear whether or not these anti immigrant pieces of legislation will be added as amendments to other legislation that is moving forward.

CEOs Urge Arizona To Forgo Immigration Measures

In Arizona sixty CEOs have signed a letter sent to State Senate President Russell Pearce urging him to stop trying to legislate on immigration from the State Legislature.

For the full scoop on the letter, The Associated Press has good summary here:

A letter signed by CEOs of major employers and several business and civic groups says Arizona should be pushing for federal action on immigration and border issues. The letter says "unintended consequences" occur when the state "goes it alone" on illegal immigration, including boycotts and other fallout on businesses.

The full letter can be found here, part of the letter below:

We agree with you that our borders must be protected first, and now. We also believe that market-driven immigration policies can and should be developed by the federal government that will sustain America’s status as a magnet for the world’s most talented and hard-working people and preserve our ability to compete in the global economy. If the Legislature believes it is worthwhile to debate the question of citizenship, we believe that debate is best held in the U.S. Congress.

This letter articulates an important argument which both advocates and businesses alike have been making for some time: if local governments are upset about the current state of immigration in the country then they should take up their grievances with their Congressional delegation. Furthermore, it should be the federal government who makes these changes because there has been an established federal domain on immigration issues. Most importantly as the letter notes there are some very real "unintended consequences" of state passed immigration laws, like loss of revenue in the retail market and a hurt tourism industry.

The letter is signed by an impressive array of businesses including. W. Douglas Parker, chairman, president, CEO, US Airways Group,  Stephen Rizley. senior VP, GM, Cox Communications, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, John Zidich, CEO, publisher, Arizona Republic, Gerrit Van Huisstede, Regional president, Wells Fargo Bank.

Of the other people who signed, they represent mostly small businesses leaders in the state. Which would seem odd, as the Governor has repeatedly  the small businesses sector is the key to jump starting Arizona's hurting economy. Lets see if the state legislature listens.

Kansas State Rep. Call To Shoot Immigrants Like Pigs Meets With Near Universal Condemnation

Yesterday Kansas State Rep. Virgil Peck set off a firestorm by saying that he thought:

"It might be a good idea to control illegal immigration the way the feral hog population has been controlled, with hunters shooting from helicopters."

While he has since apologized his comments have created a firestorm of criticism, Dana Milbank of the Washington Post wrote an especially scathing editorial entitled Gunning down immigrants — and other democratic experiments. Well worth reading, as it does a great job of highlighting just how extreme much of the rhetoric surrounding immigration has become.

Democratic law makers have been equally outspoken in condemning Rep. Peck's statement. Catalin Carnia of USA Today has the full story here. Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus said the following:

"Advocating the killing or slaughter of any individual or group is no laughing matter, and I'm sure the good people of southeast Kansas would agree," Becerra said. "We know all too well where that kind of unacceptable talk can lead."

His full statement can be read here.

Rep. Charles Gonzalez, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus said the following about Rep. Pecks comments:

"were dehumanizing and inappropriate" and "could incite prejudices and biases that are harmful to our nation."

Strangely silent on the issue, any member of the Republican Congressional Delegation.

Maryland Passes DREAM ACT Legislation In State Senate

Maryland has passed a state version of the DREAM Act, joining states like California in moving forward on giving children of immigrants brought to the country when they were young an opportunity to gain in state tuition for college.

The Washington Post has two great stories up giving all the details of this new development, Todd Eberly details what the bill does HERE:

The Maryland Senate has approved, by a 27-20 vote, legislation that would grant in-state tuition to undocumented students at public universities and community colleges. The bill would place significant restrictions on undocumented students before qualifying for in-state tuition.

The restrictions are as follows, applicants must:

  1. Graduate from a Maryland high school and then attend a community college within the high school’s jurisdiction.
  2. Prove that taxes were paid by the student, parent or legal guardian for three years before entering college.
  3. Complete an associate’s degree, or 60 credits, from a community college before they can qualify for in-state tuition at a four-year Maryland university.
  4. Show proof of paid state income taxes while attending community college.
  5. Sign an affidavit stating they will apply for legal residency when they are eligible.

Ann E. Marimow gives an account of how the legislation moved forward:

After a lengthy and emotional debate, the Senate voted 27 to 20 to approve the measure, shifting one of the legislative session’s most high-profile and controversial immigration bills to the House of Delegates. Sen. Victor R. Ramirez (D-Prince George’s), the lead sponsor, spoke to dozens of students seated in the gallery who would benefit from the measure, and told his story of arriving legally in the United States from El Salvador at age 5.

State Senator Victor R. Ramirez spoke of the importance of focusing on the important educational message this legislation sends to students as opposed to the immigration aspects of the bill:

“This is about education; it’s not about immigration,” he said. “What do we do with the talent and the intellect of the children of undocumented immigrants who are already living here? These children didn’t make the decision to come to Maryland. Their parents did.”

Let's hope other states follow this lead and work to pass similar legislation in their respective states.

Inflamed Rhetoric On Website Stirs Debate Over Claims That The Border Is A War Zone

In Texas where Governor Rick Perry has repeatedly asserted that the southern border between the United States and Mexico is a war zone, going so far as to compare the region to Iraq, the debate over border security is heating up.

Texas State Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples has put up a web site paid for by the state of Texas entitled Protect Your Texas Border, which has led some to complain that some of the comments made on the website are unnecessarily inflammatory..

Julian Aguilar of the Texas Tribune has the full story HERE:

Launched last week, protectyourtexasborder.com  has drawn the ire of some who oppose comments made on the site’s message board, comments calling for armed vigilante groups, land mines and booby traps on farm and ranch lands near or on the border.

The website has garnered some infamy as it has fast become a place for its users to post derogatory and violent comments about the border, which led Commissioner Staples  to call for civility on the web site.  Yet some in Congress are wondering why this site even needs to exist to begin with:

U.S. Rep Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, said the site was nothing more than propaganda that portrayed rural Texas like “rural Afghanistan,” and cited statistics indicating border communities in Texas are safer than most others, including Austin.

U.S. Rep Henry Cueller D - Laredo also weighed in:

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, defended Washington’s actions and said his party last year injected more funds toward border security than at any other time in history. But the new GOP-controlled U.S. House has gutted those funds by at least $350 million, he said.

As the debate continues in Texas and other states over the safety of border region it should be noted that the situation along the southern border is far less volatile then the rhetoric currently being utilized by some. In fact a recent report by NDN shows that the resources allocated by the border have shown real results in lowering the level of violence along the border.

NYT: State Legislatures Slow on Immigration Measures

Julia Preston of The New York Times has an article up which details how states have gradually slowed progress on anti immigrant legislation. The full article can be read here, with excerpts below:

Under newly fortified Republican control, many state governments started the year pledging forceful action to crack down on illegal immigration, saying they would fill a void left by the stalemate in Washington over the issue. Now, with some legislatures winding down their sessions, the lack of consensus that has immobilized Congress has shown up in the legislatures as well, and has slowed — but not stopped — the advance of bills to penalize illegal immigrants.

While anti immigrant legislation in states has slowed, and no state has yet passed legislation as stringent as Arizona's SB-1070, the focus on tougher enforcement on the state level:

Still, immigrant advocates in many states say the debate has clearly shifted in favor of tougher enforcement. They say they have had to fight just to hold the line on immigration issues that they thought were long settled. Bills similar to Arizona’s are advancing in Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma and South Carolina. In Kansas and Oklahoma, even though Republicans control the legislatures and the executive branch, immigration proposals have encountered unusually vocal opposition from business.

Yet there is definitely an up hill battle in getting these bills passed in both chambers of state legislatures, in New Mexico, Governor Susan Martinez is having problem's selling legislation that would deny undocumented immigrants drivers licenses to her fellow state legislators:

In New Mexico, the repeal effort was championed by Gov. Susana Martinez, a Republican and a Hispanic, who had promised such a move in her campaign last year. A bill she supported was defeated by the Democratic-controlled State Senate on Wednesday. Instead, it approved a bill that added requirements, including fingerprinting, for immigrants without a Social Security number who apply for licenses. If that bill wins final approval and the governor’s signature, it will create a two-tiered system in which licenses issued to people without proof of legal residence will be distinctively marked. According to license authorities, about 83,000 illegal immigrants are driving in New Mexico.

With the first part of state legislative calendars coming to a close within the month law makers are beginning to realize how cost prohibitive enforcing these new laws have become:

In Washington State, the debate over driver’s license rules polarized a state that has been relatively tolerant of illegal immigrants, an important part of the work force that picks apples. Several Democrats joined Republicans in supporting a repeal of the license law. State fiscal authorities estimated that the repeal would cost about $1.5 million a year in new verification technology and monitoring expenses. That swayed some budget-minded lawmakers, and the bill was killed Monday.

Arizona's Hispanic Population Has Grown 46% Over The Last Ten Years

The Arizona Daily Star has an article up on new Census data which shows a huge growth in the Hispanic Population in Arizona over the last ten years. The full post can be seen here:

Census figures show Arizona's Hispanic population grew by more than 46 percent between 2000 and 2010.

Hispanics now make up nearly 30 percent of the state's residents, up from slightly more than 25 percent during the 2000 census. That's slightly below earlier estimates.

The state's white population fell to less than 60 percent, down from 65 percent in 2000.

The U.S. Census Bureau counted 6.39 million Arizonans last year, up from 5.13 million in 2000.

Hispanics made up 1.89 million of the population, up from 1.29 million a decade earlier. The state's white population grew from 3.38 million to 3.75 million, but its 14 percent growth rate failed to keep up with the

The census does not tally citizenship.

US Census: Hispanic children now majority in California

Big News from the Census today, according to their latest estimates children in California are majority Hispanic.

BBC News has the full story here:

The latest data from the 2010 census shows that Latinos and Asians accounted for most of the population growth in California over the past decade. The number of Hispanics rose 28% to 14 million, reaching near parity with non-Hispanic whites, while Asians grew 31%.

Meanwhile the Washington Post, has a handy graphic up which is below:

The Washington Post pulls out following data point: The Golden State's overall child population did not grow in the past 10 years, but it became much more ethnically diverse.

In The Face of Growing Budget Crisis Arizona Immigration Bills On Hold

In the face of a growing budget crisis in Arizona, state legislators have had a gut check moment on anti immigration legislation.

Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce has placed several anti immigration pieces of legislation on hold as several members of his own party balk at passing more controversial legislation in the face of a state on the brink of an economic break down. 

The Associated Press has the full story here:

Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce has placed new legislation on illegal immigration on hold pending action on a new state budget, a spokesman said Friday. Pearce's pause for the bills reflects majority Republicans' stated priority for tackling the state's budget shortfall, spokesman Mike Philipsen told the Associated Press.

Perhaps of broader importance, even if the bills are brought back to the floor for a final vote, it is unclear whether or not Pearce has the votes to pass the legislation:

Although the new illegal immigration measures won the committee's endorsements, it's unclear whether they have enough support from majority Republicans to win Senate passage in the face of unified opposition by the chamber's small Democratic minority. With fallout from SB1070 still a factor amid the state's economic woes, some Republican senators have said Arizona has done enough legislation on illegal immigration for now. Others have said they want the state's budget troubles addressed first.

Legislators in Arizona have been under tremendous pressure from their constituents to focus in on the economy. Whether or not all of the state congress gets the message it seems for now that enough are listening.

Utah Adopts Immigration Alternative Which Provides Undocumented With ID Cards

Movement in state passed immigration laws has shifted over the weekend, both the LA Times and The New York Times have stories up showing how nationally more legislatures are opting to move away from Arizona style anti-immigration laws.

Nicholas Riccardi of the LA Times has part of the story HERE:

A year ago, a revolution on immigration enforcement seemed underway, with legislators in at least 20 states vowing to follow the lead of Arizona's tough new law targeting illegal immigrants. These days, the momentum has shifted. In at least six states, the proposals have been voted down or have simply died. Many of the other proposals have not even made it past one legislative chamber.

While Arizona style immigration laws have had trouble passing in most states, Utah has come out with an alternative immigration law that mirrors most of the provisions found in a framework written up last year for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in Congress:

The one state whose Legislature has passed an Arizona-style law, Utah, only approved a diluted bill accompanied by another measure that goes in a dramatically different direction. The Utah Legislature on Friday voted to create ID cards for "guest workers" and their families, provided they pay a fine and don't commit serious crimes. Immigrants who entered the country illegally would be fined up to $2,500. Immigrants who entered the country legally but were not complying with federal immigration law would be fined $1,000.

This Utah passed legislation shows a huge shift in the immigration debate. This state passed legislation contains a guest worker program which has stalled out immigration legislation in the Congress in the past. Julia Preston of the New York Times has a full account of what the Utah legislation does  here:

In the first move by a state to extend legal recognition to illegal immigrant laborers, the Utah Legislature has passed immigration bills that include a guest worker program that would allow unauthorized foreigners to work legally in the state. ...The guest worker bill came after intense lobbying by business and farm groups as well as by some immigrant advocates, and it enjoyed the quiet but all-important endorsement of the Mormon Church.

What is significant about this state passed law is not just that it passed but how. Business and religious groups lobbied hard to move the legislation in the legislature. Businesses have long pushed back on anti-immigrant legislation in states. Chambers of Commerce's have long touted the positive economic impact that undocumented workers have on small businesses in their states.

Lets hope that other states recognize this as they continue to explore passing their own immigration laws in the future.

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