Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. File photo. Google images.
The new SB1070 initiative could become law in Arizona on Saturday. The bill that has been called everything from ‘mean spirited’ to discriminatory and racist, passed both houses of the state legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer has the authority to either sign it or do nothing so it can come into effect; or veto it before the deadline this weekend.
Asked by reporters, Brewer has declined to give any indication as to whether she would sign or veto the legislation.
The "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act" introduced by state Sen. Russell Pearce, has triggered a wave of protests within immigration advocates, Congressmen, and religious leaders who didn’t wait to express their disappointment and indignation.
From Cardinal Roger Mahony in Los Angeles who called the proposal a “useless anti-immigrant” statute similar to “Communist techniques,” to Rep Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and Raul Grijalva of Arizona, who jointly condemned it saying it’s an “unconstitutional” measure; the new legislation is also a concern for analysts who affirm it will generate unprecedented racial profiling that will as well impact legal foreign workers, legal residents, tourists, and even American citizens, whose physical appearance might fit the ‘sketch’, or seem ‘suspicious’ for local law enforcement.
The new legislation, whose specific target is illegal immigrants, forbids authorities from releasing anyone found guilty until the full sentence is served, forces them to pay court costs and an additional fine of at least $500 for the first offense, and $1,000 for a second or subsequent conviction. Any second violation of the law would be reclassified as a felony.
SB 1070 additionally targets day laborers by making a class 1 misdemeanor for anyone to "pick up passengers for work" even if out of public view; making clear it would penalize anyone seeking work at a day labor site, and also those contractors who hire them.
Activists reject SB 1070 saying it’s a blatant attempt to target Latino workers, and are comparing it to the HR 4437, proposed by Rep. James Sensenbrenner five years ago, which resulted in massive pro-immigrant right demonstrations in 2006; and accusing it reinforces Maricopa’s County Sheriff Joe Arpaio methods, whose immigration raids have gained him the alias of “America’s toughest sheriff”.
Interviewed by MSNBC’s Ed Schultz, Arpaio praised the new law and said under such legislation ‘reasonable suspicion’ implies to ask for an ID -as he has been doing under AZ state law, but not necessarily means racial profiling. Arpaio took advantage of the platform to accuse the Obama administration of “going after” him and denounced being unfairly targeted for doing his job and for enforcing the law (video included below.)
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, who has been a strong supporter of issues important to the Latino community, including immigration and naturalization; rejected today the new Arizona’s law, during a meeting with labor ministers from the world's twenty most important economies.
“We need immigration reform, because now each state might want to change laws,” said Solis, who added that state officials have “no power” to promote initiatives that would enable them to enforce immigration laws, because that is the federal government’s responsibility.
Within other controversial implications alleged by detractors of Senate Bill 1070, is the fact that U.S. citizens having an accent and/or leaving their wallet at home will be subject to be arrested; while it would also give anyone the ability to sue a city, town or county if they believe any of their agencies is failing to enforce this law.
But even before the new law is in effect, it has reportedly caused for people not to send children to school, and not going to work, out of fear. In the other hand, business as usual, federal immigration agents have been raiding Arizona shuttle companies known to provide transportation between cities in the North of Mexico, and many states of the U.S., including those in routes from California to Washington. More than twelve shuttle companies have been indicted.
According to official data, under the Obama administration, deportations of undocumented immigrants in FY 2009 rose to 387,790; up from 291,060 in 2007 under Bush.
Protesters that massively demonstrated in Washington D.C., on March 21, have expressed SB 1070 is a slap in the face for the ‘hope’ they put in Obama’s promise to overhaul; and that distrust in the current administration has increased.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles immigrant communities have announced they will take action and join other community-based organizations in Arizona. A contingent of Angelenos will depart Thursday to Phoenix in solidarity with immigrant communities expected to bear brunt of SB1070. The trip has been scheduled to depart at 6:00 a.m. from the CHIRLA building in downtown.
Comments
The Republicans are fascists, just like their Confederate ancestors.
you know the republican party was anti- slavery. The first republican being President Lincoln..President of the union not the confederacy
Incredible to believe that there isn't anything wrong with this bill! It is unfortunate that there are people who spend and waste their time on trying to identify the scapegoat to the problems that we, Americans, brought on to ourselves. We need to take responsibility as Americans and try to solve our country's problems in a manner that reflects America's fundamental principles!
The police force should concentrate on enforcing current laws and fight crime regardless of criminal’s immigration status. Bill 1070 if passed in effect makes law officers responsible to enforce immigration laws for which they’re not trained and it will take them away from fighting true crime. Police departments will find themselves bogged down processing undocumented individuals and attending to citizen’s lawsuits instead of protecting the regular citizens against crime.
I believe in this bill and even though this might be extreme, It will clean up Arizonas schools and may help with the failing budget.
This is a great bill. I hope a similar bill gets passed here in Oklahoma. Illegal immigrants are bleeding away the resources of our great state and I for one am sick of it. You can call me a racist or a fascist or whatever you want, but I know bad policy when I see it and turning a blind eye to our open borders is bad policy.
i miself dont like this bill at all. if u people truly realize this if this bill passes you do know that arizona is not going to be the same right?..and by the way arizona is going to face major economic problems do to this...
THIS WILL MORE THAN LIKELY BANKRUPT OUR STATE, ALL STATE CITY AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE ALREADY FACING BUDGET CUTS. BESIDES THIS WILL FINANCIALLY AFFECT THE DETENTION CENTERS WHOM HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED BUDGET CUTS. THERE IS ALSO NO GUARANTEE THAT THE OFFENDERS WILL PAY THEIR FINES. FINALLY THIS IS GOING TO COST THE STATE WAY TOO MUCH MONEY AND FURTHER WORSEN OUR ECONOMICAL PROBLEM SINCE THIS WON'T BE FEDERALLY FUNDED.
Are you serious "It will clean up Arizonas schools and may help with the failing budget" idiot, do you even think about how many teachers will be out of a job and schools will be close, think use your brain, do you know how many law suits will be this will bring Arizona down
This is ridiculus. This will bankrupt the state of Arizona. Police officers and Joe Arpaio should do their jobs. They should fight crime and protect us US CITIZENS against crime and not going around doing racial profiling just because someone may look Latin/Hispanic. I can't believe we're actually living this. This is immoral and unconstitutional on so many levels.
I can't believe they're even considering passing this BIll. THIS IS WRONG PEOPLE. So Wrong! What are we going to tell our children? That we all agree on racial profiling? It's unbelievable to see how many racist people are out there. What happened to our religious beliefs? Do you guys think God approves of this? THis makes me sick to my stomach. How are we going to raise our children, when society tells them it's ok to be racist that it's ok to be against other people just because of the way they look or their accent? Everyone has to come to their senses. and that governor that we have that's doing NOTHING should VETO this BILL ASAP. Joe Arpaio should be banned from the sheriff dpt. I would love for President Obama to fire him along with Brewer and have real people who want to fight crime and not be racist and bring that "racial profiling" to our society.
I'm agains this 100%. I don't believe passing this bill is the solution to our problems. We have to see the bigger picture and realize that we're all humans and we were all created by the same God. If we all have the same creator doesn't that makes ONE somehow? We should show compassion and love to others, not hate. We have to face reality and understand that no American will do jobs that Hispanics do. Restaurants will be out of cooks, we'll have no landscapers, no construction workers etc. Please people understand that they're just here trying to provide for their families and give a brighter future to their children. It's obvious that they can't achieve this in their own country. If we had the same problem here in the US we would do whatever it takes to support our families, even if that meant to go to another country. Let's change the scenario for a minute. WHat if Mexico were the financially stable country and the US were a poor country (we're not far from that)to be continued...
Wouldn't we all do the same thing and cross over to Mexico and work just to provide for our children and family? if we saw that we couldnt get a job and that our babies were suffering. Tell me that you wouldn't fight to give your family a better future, even if that meant being illegally in a different country, where you can work and get decent $$ to support them. Come on, we all have to show compassion and love.
I agree with you AnnaLynne. I'm against this psycho babble 100%.
This Is The WORSE Bill Everr Passed Down. And All You People Saying That This Bill Should Be Passed Anywhere In The United States, Are DUMB. This Will Bring ARIZONA Way Low, The Schools Will Be CLEANEDD Up And Who Will Work ON Ur Roads?Who Will Work To Make Arizona A Better Place? NOONE If You Pass This Wack LAW. There Is Nothing Wrong With Imigrants, They Just Want An Opportunity, To Work. This Is Just Like When The Blacks and Whites Were Seperated, And All That Wack Stuff, Were All HUMAN Beings, Why Cant We Be Accepted? Were Just Like You, NORMAL Human Beings. With One Lil Defect, WERE MEXICANS. NO ON SB 1070!!!!
Every state legislator across the country, specifically the--SANCTUARY STATE OF CALIFORNIA is waiting for the outcome of this historical immigration law. It now awaits the scrutiny of Governor Jan Brewer, who will either veto it or sign it into law. Every American citizen and legal resident should call on the Arizona Governors to enact this law. Strengthen her resolve by bombarding the lady with faxes, phones, e-mailing; send a letter of even turn up at the Governor’s office to show her the huge population majority who backs this commitment to Senate bill 1070. ITS VERY LIKELY OTHER STATES WILL FOLLOW SUITE ON BEHALF OF THERE TAXPAYERS. WE NEED TO STOP THIS DRAIN ON OUR STATE TREASURIES OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. The full mailing address is: She needs to know she is not alone with this landmark immigration law.
The Honorable Jan Brewer
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Telephone (602) 542-4331
Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883
Fax (602) 542-1381
We should not have any illegals working here while American citizens are unemployed. Yes on SB1070!
YES ON SB 1070!!!
This bill is cruel. Mexicans and other immigrants come to this great nation and take the jobs that Americans won't take because the work is too physical and low paying. If these immigrants were all deported our economy would worsen because we would have to pay higher wages to fill the vacancies with Americans who are only willing to work for adequate pay. The quality of work would worsen as well because let's be honest, Mexicans have a way better work ethic than Americans do (and I'm a hard working American saying it!). If we want to target something real, let's all ban together and target government for mismanaging our tax money and then having the nerve to ask for higher taxes! Who is with me on that one?
any one that supports this bill then you are the stupidest and racist. id like to see the cops stop you and ask you stupid ass if you have documents. racist bastards!!!!!!!!!!
this is to harsh on the illegal people. were just trying to live and work were not doing anything bad. and if we are taking jobs from people with citizenships its because its jobs that they dont want to do like clean dishes, wash bathrooms, or work out doors in constuction, in the heat.
Although I am all for immigration reform, this bill targets anyone that "looks illegal." Being a dark hispanic, I feel that I'd be a prime Target, hense my long winded email to our governor.
This is to those ignorant people who think illegal immigrants are taking our money: undocumented workers are estimated to pay 7 billion dollars in social security, something they don't take advantage of. Most illegal immigrants don't file taxes and therefore whatever they overpaid is lost. Illegal immigrants aren't elligible for most public services. Illegal immigrants can not file unemployment. These are all things that us americans take advantage of, let's face it Arizona will be extremely unstable, financialy.
I would like to add: if this bill passes I will make sure to go to Arizona and look like a "suspiscious hispanic" without ID so I can establish a law suit.
I Have Been In This Country this the age of three. I Have been working now in Phoenix for 5 Years. Paying Taxes, and not benefitting from it. I graduated from High Schoon and currently paying alot of money for college. NO ON RASCIST LAWS. I am America! I Love America! I Belong In America! My Home Is America!
I don't think it will necessarily clean up our schools as Jeff says. Our schools have more serious problems than illegal immigrants. But if as Ana says lots of teachers will lose their jobs I can only see his as a good thing. Why should the state be spending millions of dollars to pay teachers to educate people who are not US citizens. Also this bill does not call for racial profiling so people need to calm down. This bill does not require them to just start stopping every single Hispanic/Latino looking person they come across and the police are not going to just start doing that on their own. If they did they would never get anything else done. If in the normal course of their day, however, they come across someone who cannot provide identification it makes sense to investigate further whether that person is in the country legally. This is common in most other countries where everyone must provide ID to police upon request even when they aren't stopped for another reason first.
My one concern about this bill is that since with the Obama administration in power they won't be able to turn them over to the feds for deportation that the costs will be to great for our prison system. I guess maybe they are hoping not that once the first few arrests are made that people will move to other states. Unfortunately none of this solves the biggest problem which is violence on the border. I think I have heard that this bill was spurred by the murdered rancher in southern AZ. If Arizona is the best place to cross I don't think this bill will change that. They will risk getting arrested and put in jail for a few months in passage to other states where they can work more easily.
honestly i think this is some bullshit....this bill is only gonna get cops so occupied with asking everybody for legal papers while the criminals are living the good life...arizona is already screwed up as it is this is only gonna mess it up even more...so wat now everyone who looks hispanic is going to get pulled over ? a citizen is goin to jail for giving an illegal a ride? this really is unconstitutional! many ppl came to this country trying to get a better living for their families. honestly americans have it easy ...mnany ppl arent as lucky to live in a country like ours why cant we just give them a chance to do things right?!
They are not just here for jobs. They cross drugs across the boarder also. They need to get harder laws to keep them all out. Iam a hispanic male, telling all the other hispanic who are americans and are legally here to suck it up. Racial profileing so what. I will be the first one to put a pacifier in your mouth and tell you to grow a pair. Cry, cry, cry, We need to focus on us, America. If your an illegal get the hell out if you dont like it, do everyone a favor and go home.
I say no to the SB 1070 law, I mean think of the people we are all human from the same god. Imagine if you were in their place. Had you ever wondered how little children having to leave their parnets only because of that law. Im not trying to be offencive but thats rough with human why don't we pay attencion on real crime and leave the inocent people? I don't understand how the people saying yes to the law want it? Put yourself in their place how would you feel? How would you beg to not make this law come true? Also why don't we instead try saving our world theres alot of contimination? Only because people don't like other rasist doesn't mean that you have to attack on inocent people. We all can work it out and live happily.Why not fix schools up for those kids that want to go to school? Theres alot of other more important things that can be made instead of spreading families apart.
They are not just here for jobs. They cross drugs across the boarder also. They need to get harder laws to keep them all out. Iam a hispanic male, telling all the other hispanic who are americans and are legally here to suck it up. Racial profileing so what. I will be the first one to put a pacifier in your mouth and tell you to grow a pair. Cry, cry, cry, We need to focus on us, America. If your an illegal get the hell out if you dont like it, do everyone a favor and go home.
well im an american citizen, this law its no what i expected from my state. seriously who thinks that this will solve the problems with drugs does people really think that splitin families drug cartels are going to say "OMG we have to stop, we needs to give up this millions of dollars because they are hurting inocent people" guess what wake up people they dont care because we americans love drugs. i say no to that law and if someone said yes its not because they are real americans they r just some racists son of a gun. why dont the state give them all some type of id and then they wont be illegal anymore and then after that denied sevices school hospitals and everything to whoever dont have that id a least until a reform shows up so what do u think lets think real. lets be real americans no just racist people always thinking we r better than others :)
first time i do this and is because i love how the taxpayers act like they are paying 10000 dollars each in prisions, schools, hospitals and what ever you want a year, come on honestly if this law passes and trow all of them out how much they r going to save probably 100 dollar a year each, wow that is saving i wish i come across one so i will go with him to las vegas, have the best of times going to vacations and everythin with those 100 dollars that he will have left for being a good racist american, this its real funny and we all know that they will use those 100 big bucks left to buy an eigth ball from those cartels that stain our country. omg shame on my people
this is really RACIST!! i say NO on this dumb law!!
MEXICANS ARE NOT THE ONLY CRIMINALS HERE!!
i VOTE NO ON SB1070
Please sign SB1070. Enough is enough. These are not United States Citizens who will be affected by its passage. They are not entitled to use U.S.A resources. They are not voters. They are not naturalized or assimilated. They have a country to return to. They need to be deported as soon as possible so that our economy can recover. Illegal immigration is out of control or SB1070 would have never been passed. Arizona is counting on you.
Mark my words, if this bill is passed the only people who will be stopped and questioned about nationality will be those with a brown skin. That my friends is racial discrimination!
what color is the senator. what can we expect from her,we just fall in between,black and white shame on you senator, Jan Brewer.
DO Not pass this law. Who is going to clean your house, mow your lawn, pick the food that you eat, and cook the food in the restaurants where you eat.
i say no to sb 1070, its racist, and those people who approve the sb1070 need to get their heads out of their ass...those people already forgotten their ancestors migrated to this country too...another thing, you have a wetback in the state of california as gorvernor, the only f*cking reason he got in is because he looks white.....when in he going to get his greencard checked?????????
who is going to check the green card of that immigrant running the state of california, people have to quit been racist, and remember their ancestors migrated here too
This is the stupidest thing ever. If you want to stop illegal immigration, fine the people who hire them 500k each time or put them in jail. Put all the cops on the street to search businesses and arrest the employers.
Without employment, nobody is going to come. Stopping people, asking for id is just as dumb as building a fence around the border, when they can dig through in 5 minutes.
I am embarrassed to be represented by these idiots.
NO on SB 1070America has bigger problems to worry about!! who in the fck said it was just hispanics trafficking drugs american citizens do it too. and for those who think that immigrants are taking american citizen jobs get real you dont have a job because you dont want one, hispanics just do what they have to do put food on the table even if theyre getting paid the minimum. lets not forget that WE ARE ALL IMMIGRANTS this land belonged to the indians.
I live in Arizona, don't judge us unless you've walked in our shoes. I can attest to the fact that my family members that are in this country illegally make very, very good money, cash under the table, and they do get state benefits for their kids. Before the meltdown my husband used to work in construction, but it got to the point where he couldn't make a living and benefits like health insurance and vacation became non-existent because builders and contractors found they could hire illegal labor for less money and no benefits. Illegals drive down wages/increase unemployment.
The police force should concentrate on enforcing current laws and fight crime regardless of criminal’s immigration status. Bill 1070 if passed in effect makes law officers responsible to enforce immigration laws for which they’re not trained and it will take them away from fighting true crime. Police departments will find themselves bogged down processing undocumented individuals and attending to citizen’s lawsuits instead of protecting the regular citizens against crime
COME ON PEOPLE!!! ARE YOU f**KING KIDDING ME!!! THOES OF YOU THAT VOTE YES TO THIS DUMB A** BILL ARE NARROW MINDED. YOU ALL ACT LIKE "MEXICANS" ARE THE ONLY "HUMANS" BRING IN AND MAKING THESE DRUGS IN THIS COUNTRY. LOOK AROUND YOU...PENDEJOS, AMERICANS ARE ONE THE MAIN ONES BRINGING IN THE DRUGS TO THIS COUNTRY. YA YOU KNOW WHO IM TALKING ABOUT... YOU MATHA f**KERS THAT CROSS THAT SAME BORDER THAT YOU WANT TO CLOSE TO GET THOSE "CHEAP DRUGS" AND BRING IT TO AMERRICA. THEN CLAME THAT ITS ONLY THE MEXICANS THAT BRING IN THE DRUGS. SO YA IF YOU ARE VOTING YES TO THIS BILL YOU ARE A RACIST. AND TO THINK THAT I JOINED THE MILITARY FOR OVER 9YR TO PROTECT YOU RACIST BASTARDS. WHAT A WAST OF MY LIFE. OH AND YES IM MEXICAN MYSELF
this law that they want to pass is so based on DISCRIMINATION come on open your eyes your focusing on one race which are HISPANICS we are suppose to be a land of freedom && if you are really upset with illegals in the United States then build your so call"border" better i mean these people have walk the desert crossing their families for a better life because apparently their country didn't offer it these people should be given papers come on would you do some thing BRAVE like that??? honestly how can you be so cold like that?? i mean i understand that you are furious with what the cartels are doing but not every body should be punished....
The police force should concentrate on enforcing current laws and fight crime regardless of criminal’s immigration status. Bill 1070 if passed in effect makes law officers responsible to enforce immigration laws for which they’re not trained and it will take them away from fighting true crime. Police departments will find themselves bogged down processing undocumented individuals and attending to citizen’s lawsuits instead of protecting the regular citizens against crime
I am against criminals and those who destroy this country. How does police track on criminals in general? If police department need more skillful officers in how capture these criminals, it's their fault and businesses. Most likely this law is about illegals. I have to agree that people should enter legally to any country, including Mexico. People should STOP coming illegally but at the same time, countries should develop ways to generate jobs and opportunities for those potentials illegals. People moves based on needs. I don't judge them. I am nothing to judge my brothers and sisters. I wish I can help them by creating jobs in their own countries.
The USA has been merciful since ages with illegals. This land is of peace. I wish everyone can help to keep it that way!
Try going into Mexico illegally, and when a cop stops you to question you, just explain to him how he is being racist. Tell him how it is ok for you to be there, because it is ok for illegal mexicans to be in the U.S., and Mexico has to reciprocate.
When you come back, let us know how it worked out for you.
consuela, please request you relatives to go back and get a legal visa from their government and enter the US legally. This is the main reason SB1070 came about; illegals coming to arizona(from other countries,not just mexicans) then getting income/help from the state.A lot of americans don't hate foreigners,just the people who abuse the system.
I think SB1070 is unnecissary and should be vetoed anyways.
It's about time something like this came up. We need tougher bills like this that will help to defeat the "criminals" that come here to take advantage of the fine system in the U.S. that was built on hard work, honesty, and by Americans that have earned the right to be called Americans. Illegals are not Americans. The people that come here are bringing with them the deplorable lifestyle that they have become to accept as a standard. Many of those people are overcrowding our prison system, diminishing our medical resources, driving without licenses, not willing, or do not have the intelligence to learn English. To the ones that have entered the U.S. through the proper channels I commend you. I support you fully! The people of Arizona & California that have worked hard to earn citizenship & who are citizens are sick & tired of the U.S. congress members whose family originate in Mexico or other countries supporting these illegals! They are plunging America into darkness. Thanks SB 1070.
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