Illegal Immigration critics are complaining that Arizona's former governor, now Secretary of Homeland Security, played politics when she announced a state of emergency during the Bush Administration in response to illegal aliens and then she vetoed a new bill that would aid law enforcement in curtailing rampant illegal immigration.
Then Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed a bill that would have made the presence of illegal immigrants in Arizona a felony offense. She claims she was responding to the wishes of local police chiefs and sheriffs who want immigration arrests to remain the responsibility of the federal government.
The new bill would have expanded the state's trespassing law to let local authorities arrest illegal immigrants anywhere in Arizona, one of the country's busiest illegal entry point. The legislation passed through the state legislature but was summarily blocked by the Democrat governor.
In a letter to lawmakers, Napolitano said she opposed automatically turning all immigrants who sneaked into the state into criminals and that the bill provided no funding for the new duties.
But critics say she was being disingenuous with her statements. One police commander claims she failed to mention that entering the US illegally is already a crime, albeit a misdemeanor. In addition, reentry into the US once an alien is deported is already a felony in the US.
Besides illegal aliens, the bill would have put more teeth into Arizona law to deal with human smugglers and de facto slave-traders.
"It is unfortunate that the Legislature has once again ignored the officials who are most directly affected by illegal immigration and instead has passed yet another bill that will have no effect on the problem but that will impose an unfunded burden on law enforcement," Napolitano wrote in a press release.
However, when she declared a state of emergency in Arizona last year, following the lead of another Democrat governor -- Bill Richardson of New Mexico -- Gov. Napolitano spent millions on her deployment of National Guard troops on the Mexican border. Political analysts believe she declared the emergency in order to criticize the Bush Administration as did Gov. Richardson.
In fact, Richardson declared a state of emergency and then deployed a whopping 54 New Mexico National Guard soldiers to aid the beleaguered local law enforcement officers. One police chiefs said he's seen more guardsmen deployed for a snowstorm than for Richardson' "state of emergency."
Supporters tough border security said the new bill would have provided Arizona with an opportunity to start gaining control of its vast border problems by providing a second layer of enforcement to catch the tens of thousands of immigrants who slip past federal agents each year.
Republican Sen. Barbara Leff of Paradise Valley, who proposed the bill, said the governor had painted herself as tough on illegal immigration by declaring a state of emergency at Arizona's border, but had taken little action to back up her rhetoric, according to the Washington Examiner.
"I don't think the governor wants to do anything about this problem," Leff said at the time. She said the bill would have been a means to detain illegal immigrants until federal agents can pick them up.
The Democratic governor, accused by her Republican critics of being soft on immigration, has vetoed other immigration bills from the GOP-majority Legislature during her tenure, including a proposal to give police the power to enforce federal immigration laws. She's also provided services for illegal aliens and is a proponent of drivers' licenses for illegals.
While immigrants provide the economy with cheap labor, Arizona spends tens of millions of dollars each year in health care and education costs for illegal workers and their families. An estimated 500,000 of the state's population of about 6 million are illegal immigrants.
While defenders of illegal immigrants tell the American people that these unlawful workers pay taxes, some immigration experts say illegal are usually paid off the books by their employers so there are no federal or state tax deductions. And because of tax laws passed to help low-paid workers, they aren't taxed even is they declare their wages to the Internal Revenue Service.
Up to 28 percent of the work force in the country is paid in cash, meaning as many as one in four don't have federal and state payroll taxes withheld, which creates the kind of economic unpredictability that potential employers tend to avoid, according to economic experts.
Then Gov. Janet Napolitano's veto of the new bill is an about face considering her past speeches in which she told voters she would have two state police squads focus on alien smuggling cases. Both plans offer millions of dollars to communities to thwart illegal entries, and money for combating gang-related border crime.
State police in Arizona already work near the border. An average of 27 state police officers are near the border at any given time, assisting federal authorities in looking for fugitives trying to leave the country and people attempting to bring ill-gotten cash and stolen vehicles into Mexico.
Advocates for state and local action said the idea will not fix Arizona's vast immigration problems, but would discourage some people from sneaking across the border.
"If the federal government isn't going to do the job and Arizona is footing billions of dollars a year for illegal aliens, it makes sense for the state to get involved," said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors limits on immigration.
Meanwhile, opponents of tough border security are already harping on racial profiling saying it would increase if officers unfamiliar with immigration law were to try and enforce it. They also say it could make investigating crime harder in immigrant communities, because fewer aliens would cooperate with police for fear of being sent home.
Whenever cornered during a debate over law enforcement, liberal-left activists will always bring up the "racial profiling" issue whether it's germane to the discussion or not. It puts the proponents of law enforcement on the defensive since the debate then becomes one in which the debater must prove he or she is against racial profiling.
And what's happened to the career of Janet Napolitano? She's been appointed to head the federal agencies responsible for immigration enforcement.
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he's the blog editor for the House Conservatives Fund's weblog. Recently, the editors Examiner.com appointed him as their Law Enforcement Examiner. Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.
He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer for NewswithViews.com and PHXnews.com. He's also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 300 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com. Kouri's own website is located at http://jimkouri.us
Comments
This certainly reeks familiar. I live in Southern California and our state is BROKE, despite the fact that it has one of the highest levels of taxation and incomes in the Nation. Why? our spending, tax breaks for Hollywood and waste on ILLEGALS. It's recently been calculated that we spend approx between 5-10 BILLION per year for illegal aliens (ones already here, not the ones that continue to sneak through) as there are over 3,000,000 illegal aliens currently living in our state, enjoying our privleges. our LIBERAL state allows them to pretty much hang out here, unchecked by anyone. it drives me NUTS. it costs 25 cents per every dollar spent, hence, we are busted and our leadership can't seem to agree on a budget. (another story I won't get into) 775,000 of that goes to BS health care costs for these people for people and their two MAIN EXPENSES, WE'RE FINDING??? HAVING MORE BABIES AND GETTING SEWN UP IN OUR ER'S FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS!!!
Yes...Arizona is sounding very much like California and that idiotic woman was appointed to DHS Secretary? He has GOT to be the dumbest President we've ever had...common sense of a fruit basket!!!
Great story, Jim!! you report on things no one else has the cojonas to touch.
This article contains alot of inaccurate information.
Immigration Reform NOW!
There are 11.6 million unemployed Americans, and that number will, undoubtedly, increase to well over 12 million, on March 6th, when the February numbers are released.
There is also an existing law, against an illegal, being employed by anyone, anywhere, within our United States.
Yet, it is widely known that there are over 8.7 million illegals working at jobs within our United States; jobs that they illegally obtained by using forged, and/or stolen documents.
These are jobs in construction, manufacturing, food processing etc.,; jobs that Americans will do.
Why did the Democrats strip E-Verify from the Stimulus Bill, not only protecting these illegals in the jobs they are working at, but making them elgible, through the absence of E-Verify, to illegally obtain jobs provided by OUR OWN Stimulus money.
ALL Americans need to ask their Democratic Representatives, and Senators, why they are allowing illegals to take jobs that rightfully, and legally, belong to Americans, let alone, allowing illegals to remain in our United States.
Remember there is a law against illegals working in our country,and there is also a law against illegals even being in our country.
Democrats, why are our laws against illegals not being enforced??
WHY???
LISTEN UP DEMOCRATS!!!
FOR THE GOOD OF AMERICAN WORKERS, AND ALL AMERICANS, WE WANT OUR LAWS ENFORCED, AND WE WANT E-VERIFY MANDATED FOR ALL EMPLOYERS, AND ALL EMPLOYEES.
WE, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND VOTERS, WILL NOT BE DENIED!!!
If it was a felony to be an illegal ailien, I'd consider my duty, and arrest them free of charge. Although, I'd appreciate the incentive of a bounty of $50 per illegal, to cover my expenses. Given proper motivation, how long do you think it would take for all illegals to self-deport?
Per 50 U.S.C. 21, The US President, may declare that Mexico or any nation, is no longer our friend. He may declare all unfriendly nationals are commiting a felony, if they remain, in the USA. He may in the same proclamation demand all unfriendly nationals to depart from the USA. These acts would place all unfriendly nationals under the scope of citizen's arrest. How much would that save the US government?
anet Napolitano of Arizona, Obama’s pick for head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a border governor who’s been in the eye of the immigration storm. Time and time again, she’s proved that she understands that it is in our nation’s interest to not only secure our borders, but also to provide for a realistic and practical immigration system that is in tune with our country’s economic needs. Napolitano has pushed for more than just enforcement, deriding the current administration for its failure to secure our borders and provide for a realistic and functional immigration system. She called for comprehensive reform very publicly in the Washington Post, including improved border security measures and a system to bring illegal immigrants “out of the economic shadows.” We can deport 12 million undocumented immigrants and we can't build a wall around the problem and expect it to go away. Turning undocs into taxpaying workers is one of the first steps to getting our country back on its feet.
It is disturbing that while the Christian faith is so strongly focused on forgiveness and unearned,
undeserved redemption, so many Christians in this country would refuse forgiveness to immigrants who came into the country illegally. Don’t they make the connection when they pray
in the words Jesus taught us, “Forgive us our trespasses (sins, debts) as we forgive those who
trespass against us (sin against us, our debtors)…”? Do they really want to stand before God at
the Judgment and ask God to forgive them even though they firmly refused forgiveness to those
who trespassed on this land? Do we need to modernize our translation of the prayer to read,
“Grant us amnesty for our trespasses as we give amnesty to those who trespass against us”?
When the first disciples, afraid of being taken advantage of, asked Jesus how many times they had
to forgive someone, Jesus replied, “Forever!” (“Seventy times seven times” in biblical symbolism.)
What is there that we don’t understand about God’s loving forgiveness and the spirit of forgiveness that it calls us to in matters of immigration – and all throughout our lives?
It isn't enough to write blogs. Americans should view the many, many videos, of Mexican illegal aliens and their enablers in the cit of Los Angeles in the State of California, and see how violent they are during protests of illegal immigration by American citizens. This is an S.O.S. The U.S. government, under Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton, Bush 2, and now Obama, is allowing the invasion and economic disaster from Mexico. View the videos of Save our State and tell your friends and family. AMericans have been warned. What has happened and is happening in the Southwest and California, is going to happen wherever you live. The Democratic Party is electing a new people from corrupt Mexico, and other places to replace Americans. WAKE UP, WAKE UP!!
Janet Napolitano is a liar and an open borders shill. How do we know this? Because she fought the citizens of Arizona, when she was governor, every single way she could to allow illegal immigration to continue. She is a fake and a phony. She will do more damage under Obama than she did under Bush, which was plenty.
Folks, it is not about hate. That is what open borders, Democratic party shills want to convince people of. Please, think. Why would the Democratic Party, just like Bush did, continue to allow the invasion of foreign nationals, do depress wages and put a burden on Americans taxes in a collapsing economy? Please, think, and think hard. It does not make sense. The United States of AMerica, is NOT, Mexico. It is a land of American citizens AND legal residents. PERIOD!!
I hope Janet Napolitano will ENFORCE the immigration laws on the books, and start to come dowm hard on these ILLEGAL ALIENS.
Now I can't say the ILLEGAL ALIENS are completely to blame for the shape of our economy, but they are a BIG part of the problem. The ILLEGAL ALIENS send BILLIONS upon BILLIONS out of this Country every year, money we will NEVER see again. Does this help our economy?
How about the BILLIONS the American taxpayers fork out for the ANCHOR BABIES, the schooling of them, the medical care and the list goes on, and on, and on.
How about the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS paid to jail ILLEGAL ALIENS for the crimes, then the cost to deport them. Does this help our economy?
Then you have these activist groups, the Catholic Church and the ACLU that want AMNESTY for these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It would be absolute suicide for this Country if AMNESTY were granted to the 20 million or so ILLEGAL ALIENS. We have more and more people out of work everyday and they want to add another 20 million to this Country? I say, "NO"!
If AMNESTY were ever granted to these 20 million ILLEGAL ALIENS, you can bet big money that 3 years from now, there would be ANOTHER 3-5 million ILLEGAL ALIENS demonstrating on our soil for AMNESTY.
An end MUST come to this illegal immigration. The perfect tool we have so far is E-Verify. It MUST be used by ALL businesses and Government Social Services. EVERY employee must be checked! If they are illegal, they are to be dismissed!
I believe it is time for all 50 States to pass a State law, like Arizona, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and a few others. It is time for these ILLEGAL ALIENS to go back to their home Country and get out of this Country. The problems they are causing will not go away until the ILLEGAL ALIENS are out of this Country. I hope Janet will see the destruction these ILLEGAL ALIENS are causing and get them pit of this Country. They don't belong here.
Sen. Harry Reid partnered with Nancy Pelosi and others cut funding for the border fence, that was never constructed to the original plan of Rep. Duncan Hunter.
In this long downturn in our economy--THE PEOPLE-- must impress on our politicians to remove ALL the 40 million illegal nationals (Heritage Foundation) from this nation.
Every parasite business who hires foreign nationals must be held accountable with prison terms. Powerful lawmakers like Sen. Harry Reid D-NV) killed the people only real tool (E-VERIFY) to stop illegal immigration for good. That tells you where his loyalty lies? Unemployment is off the scale, but he and many other Democrats including Governors, Mayors, judges and other officials still are giving government benefits to illegal aliens?
Whistleblowers should report contractors to ICE, who violate immigration laws.
E-Verify comes up for a vote in March and should be made permanent, to halt illegal hiring. Immigration reform must start in the workplace, so illegal aliens are pinpointed and deported or self-deport themselves. Hundreds of billions of dollars go to the welfare of illegal alien families annually, including medicaid.
Deluge the Washington Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 In addition you can call President Obama at 202-456-1111. Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Sitting back and doing nothing is what corrupt politicians expect of THE PEOPLE?
Read the truth at JUDICALWATCH, NUMBERSUSA, AMERICANPATROL, CAPSWEB.
Brittanicus says, "Senator Reid, and speaker Pelosi, cut funding for the boarder fence, that was never contructed to the orginal plan of Rep. Duncan Hunter".
I know Brittanicus, but you haven't read the Official Democratic Party Dicitonary of Political Rhetoric, in which the word, FENCE, is defined as follows, FENCE, n. Any stucture made of a variety of materials, with large holes in it to allow for the free and unhindered passage of people and other objects, cars, drugs,etc.
This country is sleepwalking into chaos by failing to enforce our immigration laws.
Everything you need to know about immigration and what to do about it humorously told.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBw1nUlf38I
NumbersUSA is the hero.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WJeqxuOfQ
I left AZ in the fall of 2006 after living there for 11 years. This is one of the first articles I have seen that highlights the dangerous choices then-governor Napolitano made.
Several years ago, the legislature sent her a bill that would have prevented a person from obtaining state social services without proof of citizenship or legal residency. You know, any one of many documents that work as proof (e.g. a driver's license). She then called a media press conference to a Hispanic Business Council meeting to publicly veto it. Por la raza!
So We, the People, collected signatures to get Arizona Proposition 200 on the ballot and it passed with 2/3rds of the vote. Despite this clear mandate from the citizens of Arizona, Napolitano chose instead to obstruct our will and failed to implement the law until well over a year later when a court forced her to do so. Her reasoning was that it might disenfranchise poor voters. Blockbuster video requires identification to check out a video but before this, the act of registering to vote and to vote required none.
This act is directly responsible for the creation of the Minuteman project and several other organizations.
Her declaration of a state of emergency in the southern counties was indeed timed with Governor Richardson and an attempt to engage and embarass the President.
Folks, I've been down in the Naco and Three Points area quite a few times. Our country is and has been wide open for a long time. It's really too bad too, because the democratic process attempted to correct this problem but we have been betrayed.
It is beyond the pale that Janet Napolitano was named Director of Homeland Security. Have we reached the point of no return yet?
If it was a felony to be an illegal title="Pandora beads">Pandora beads</a> I'd consider my duty, and arrest them free of charge. Although, I'd appreciate the incentive of a bounty of $50 per illegal, to cover my expenses. Given proper motivation, how long do you think it would take for all illegals to self-deport?
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!