Arizona's Immigration law: SB 1070 & HB 2162

[LWM]

May 2, 2010

Obama Warns Political Speech Can Lead to Violence
Posted by: Mike's America @ 8:42 am in Uncategorized | 526 views

Will he take responsibility for false claims made about Arizona immigration law after Sheriff’s Deputy was shot by illegal aliens?

Obama delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan on Saturday. His speech had more straw man arguments than there were graduates. Apparently, if you oppose his policies you are anti-democratic and seeking to overthrow the legitimate government as defined by him.

In the middle of a long lecture on why strong opposition prevents you from realizing he knows what is best for you and blocks “compromise” (as if he has ever supported real compromise) he dropped the “v” word. Apparently, vocal opposition to his policies “coarsens our culture, and at its worst, it can send signals to the most extreme elements of our society that perhaps violence is a justifiable response.”

After eight years of an unrelenting hate campaign directed by President George Bush by top Democrat leaders it’s astonishing to hear Obama demand that now people must watch what they say.

Did Obama’s words lead to violence in Arizona?

But we don’t have to go back to the Bush years to see the hypocrisy in Obama’s speech. Only last week Obama told a crowd in Iowa that the new Arizona immigration law would mean that “Now, suddenly, if you don’t have your papers, and you took your kid out to get ice cream, you’re going to get harassed ”


Not you might get harassed but YOU ARE going to get harassed by law enforcement. Clearly the man has a chip on his shoulder about law enforcement but let’s put that aside for a moment. Obama’s words were delivered at a time when a rioting mob protesting the Arizona law pelted law enforcement officers in Phoenix with bottles and threatened the safety of a man who supported the law.

Two days after Obama spoke those words, an Arizona Sheriff’s Deputy was shot in the stomach with an AK-47 wielded by a gang of illegal aliens in the Arizona desert. The Deputy was there to investigate drug smuggling. 17 illegals were later caught in the desert including three who may have been involved in the shooting. I suppose Obama will call that police harassment.

Nowhere does Obama take responsibility for his overheated rhetoric which is meant to whip his supporters into an angry frenzy in advance of November’s election. Nowhere in his speech does he suggest that maybe he or his supporters should tone down the angry rhetoric which has become an almost daily feature of Democrat politics.

This kind of lopsided demand for civility leaves us with only one conclusion: Obama is willing to demonize opposition on the right, including false claims about their motives, while actively fanning the flames of anger and hate on the left.

And from what we have seen thus far, we can only expect him to increase this campaign of lies and hate as November approaches. Even if it leads to violence, it serves his cause!

[LWM]

Utah to follow Arizona immigration law?by Associated Press (May 27th, 2010 @ 11:18am)

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says he will sign an immigration bill into law next session if he's still governor, although it is unclear how closely that bill might mirror one in Arizona that's considered the toughest in the nation.

The Arizona law requires that police conducting traffic stops or questioning people about possible legal violations ask them about their immigration status if there is ``reasonable suspicion'' that they're in the country illegally.

Reasonable suspicion is not defined. The law also makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally and for illegal immigrants to solicit work.

Herbert told reporters Thursday during his monthly KUED news conference that he favors punishing businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

[LWM]

SB 1070 supporters rally in Tempeby Associated Press (May 29th, 2010 @ 7:32pm)

TEMPE, Ariz. — Thousands of supporters of Arizona's tough new crackdown on illegal immigration are rallying at a baseball stadium outside Phoenix.

The Stand With Arizona rally asks people from around the country to support the state's law in the face of a backlash from opponents including civil rights groups and President Barack Obama.

Supporters are encouraging like-minded Americans to "buycott" Arizona by planning vacations in the state.

Most of Tempe Diablo Stadium's more than 7,000 seats were full Saturday, and hundreds more people milled in the back or sat on the infield

[LWM]

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles County on Tuesday became the latest government body to boycott Arizona to protest the state's tough new law targeting illegal immigration. After a heated debate, the county's board of supervisors voted 3-2 to ban new contracts with Arizona-based companies and review those that could be canceled. The county has more than $26 million in contracts with Arizona companies this year. Several California cities, including Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco, have passed similar measures. The Arizona law, set to go into effect July 29, requires police enforcing another law to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally. Supervisor Gloria Molina said law "goes too far." "I am sworn as an L.A. County supervisor to uphold the Constitution. All I can say is that I believe that Arizona's law is unconstitutional," she said. U.S. Justice Department officials have drafted a legal challenge asserting that Arizona's law is unconstitutional because it intrudes on the federal government's authority to guard the nation's borders. Critics of the law also say it unfairly targets Hispanics and could lead to racial profiling. Proponents insist racial profiling will not be tolerated. Dozens of people spoke on both sides of the issue Tuesday, trying to sway Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was the last to announce his position and finally voted yes. "We need solutions, not boycotts," said Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who voted against the motion along with Supervisor Don Knabe. The boycott also calls the county's pension fund to rid itself of any investments in Arizona's state and municipal bonds. The county does have investment that would be affected by the boycott, said the county's treasurer, Mark Saladino. A Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday found that about three-fourths of voters in the U.S. think boycotting Arizona because of its immigration law is a bad idea. The national survey of 1,914 registered voters also found that most support the law itself, with 51 percent of voters approving of the measure and 31 percent disapproving. The poll, conducted May 19-24, had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.

[LWM]

Letter to LA: Boycott in the dark

PHOENIX -- Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce has suggested that if Los Angeles pursues a boycott of Arizona over its immigration law, Arizona could retaliate by taking back some of the electricity it generates for southern California.

In a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Perce said he was "dismayed" by the vote of the Los Angeles City Council to boycott Arizona.

Pierce quoted from a Villaraigosa statement that the goal of the boycott was "to impact the economy of Arizona. Our intent is to use our dollars or the withholding of our dollars -- to send a message."

Pierce said that approximately 25 percent of the electricity consumed in Los Angeles is generated by power plants in Arizona.

"If an economic boycott is truly what you desire, I will be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renegotiate your power agreements, so Los Angeles no longer receives any power from Arizona-based generation," Pierce wrote to Villaraigosa. "I am confident that Arizona's utilities would be happy to take those electrons off your hands. If, however, you find that the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona's economy."

Pierce said that people of good will can disagree over the merits of SB1070, the Arizona law, but, "A statewide economic boycott of Arizona is not a message sent in goodwill."

The Arizona Corporation Commission regulates utilities, including the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix, the nation's largest nuclear plant. Southern California Edison Co. owns 15.8 percent of Palo Verde, the Southern California Public Power Authority 5.9 percent and the City of Los Angeles 8.7 percent.

Los Angeles gets about 6 percent of its electricity from hydroelectric power, most of that generated by Hoover Dam on the Arizona-Nevada border. It also gets power from some coal-fired plants in Arizona.

The new Arizona law, which has spawned controversy across the nation, requires local law enforcement officers to question the immigration status of anyone they stop for another reason and then have reasonable suspicion that the person is in the United States illegally.

[LWM]

LA County to boycott Arizona
by Associated Press (June 1st, 2010 @ 5:23pm)

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County is joining in the economic boycott against Arizona to protest the state's new law targeting illegal immigration.

After a heated debate, the county board of supervisors voted 3-to-2 Tuesday to ban new contracts with Arizona-based companies and review those that could be canceled. The county has more than $26 million in contracts with Arizona companies this year.

Other California cities, including Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco, have passed similar measures.

The Arizona law requires police enforcing another law to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally.

L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina says law ``goes too far.''

[LWM]

Legal eagle: SB1070 will survive challengesby Jim Cross/KTAR (June 3rd, 2010 @ 7:14am)

PHOENIX -- ABC legal analyst Royal Oakes believes Senate Bill 1070, Arizona's new immigration law, will stand up to courtroom challenges, although he says, "It's going to be a long drawn-out process."

The law, which takes effect July 29, is being challenged as unconstitutional and on grounds that it will lead to racial profiling as police ask the immigration status of people they have reasonable suspicion may be in the United States illegally.

When it comes to the racial profiling claim, Oakes said, "The bill could not be more clear. It bans racial profiling. Critics, however, say, `Well, okay, it's fine to ban it. But, if you're a police officer, don't you have the power now to stop -- say 90 out of 100 people -- as they drive by?`"

As for claims that it's unconstitutional, he said, "The Fourth Amendment guarantees against unreasonable searches and seizures. The 14th Amendment allows everybody equal protection and due process rights. Some people say that this law gives police so much power that, really, it tramples on those constitutional rights."

Oakes sees as the biggest challenge: "Does Arizona even have a right to pass a law like this or is it exclusively the power of the federal government to regulate immigration?"

[LWM]

Burlington, Vt., council calls for AZ boycott
by Associated Press (June 15th, 2010 @ 6:06am)

BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Burlington, Vt., City Council is calling for a boycott of the state of Arizona because of a law that state passed that authorizes police to question people about their immigration status.

On Monday, the City Council voted 10-4 for the boycott of Arizona and Arizona businesses.

The vote was in response to a new law in Arizona that requires police to question a person's immigration status if officers have a reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally.

Supporters of the boycott filled the auditorium where the meeting was held.

The Burlington Free Press says the measure was supported by Progressive Mayor Bob Kiss and opposed by the city's three Republican councilors.

[LWM]

Sacramento approves sanctions against Ariz.
by Associated Press (June 16th, 2010 @ 2:47pm)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento is joining the list of cities boycotting Arizona to protest the state's stringent new anti-illegal immigration law set to take effect next month.

The city council voted 6-1 Tuesday to forbid city employees from attending conferences in Arizona, or doing business with companies based there.

Companies affected include Phoenix-based Sundt Construction, part of a downtown revitalization proposal and the lead firm on a library construction job.

To supporters of the measure, this was a civil rights issue. But opponents felt the council should concentrate on local matters.

San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland have passed similar measures.

The Arizona law makes it a crime to be an illegal immigrant and directs police to check the status of anyone suspected of being here illegally.

[LWM]

Who's coming to AZ from Mexico?
by Pamela Hughes/KTAR (June 17th, 2010 @ 9:00am)

PHOENIX -- Arizona's border with Mexico is the busiest crossing for illegal immigrants, and a number of them are criminals, according to the Border Patrol.

Last year, the Tucson sector of the Border Patrol caught 240,000 people trying to sneak into the United States illegally.

"Right about now, we're apprehending between 400 and 600 people a day," said Colleen Agle with the Border Patrol. She said this is the slow time of year; the number of illegal crossers peaks at around 1,000 a day in cooler weather.

Several criminals are among the illegal immigrants, Agle said.

"Rapists, child molesters, a lot of violent gang members."

She said it's tough to determine just what percentage of illegal immigrants have criminal backgrounds, but agents encounter them on a daily basis.

In the past few days, agents at Douglas have arrested an illegal immigrant who had been convicted of rape and another who had been convicted of having sex with a child under 3 years old. A child molester was arrested at a Nogales border crossing and an illegal who had been convicted of manslaughter was arrested in Casa Grande.

"We definitely see these types of individuals on a weekly basis," said Agle, "and I'd say pretty close to every day, we're apprehending somebody (criminal) -- whether it's a child molester or some sort of sex offender or violent gang member. Those are definitely people who are trying to get into the United States."