PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law a bill supporters said would take handcuffs off police in dealing with illegal immigration in Arizona, the nation’s busiest gateway for immigrants traveling from Mexico.
With hundreds of protesters outside the state Capitol shouting that the bill would lead to civil rights abuses, Brewer said critics were “overreacting” and that she wouldn’t tolerate large crowds.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer
The bill’s Republican sponsor, state Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa, said Obama and other critics of the bill were “against law enforcement, our citizens and the rule of law.”
Pearce hatched the idea for SB1070 late one night while waiting in the checkout line at Walmart.
“Here I was just trying to buy some Cheetos and cat litter, and the crowds were just horrendous,” he said Friday. “My rights as an American really should mean something.”
Earlier Friday, Obama called the Arizona bill “misguided” and instructed the Justice Department to examine it to see if it’s legal. He also said the federal government must enact immigration reform at the national level – or leave the door open to “irresponsibility by others.”
The legislation, sent to the Republican governor by the GOP-led Legislature, makes it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. It also requires local police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are of Mexican descent; allows lawsuits against government agencies that do not verify the race of citizens that they deal with; and makes it illegal to look at illegal immigrants in public.
Rep. Russell Pearce With Unnamed Companion
The law sends “a clear message that Arizona is unfriendly and means business,” said Peter Spanikopita, a Temple University law professor and author of the book “Beyond Citizenship: American Identity After Homogenization.”
Brewer signed the bill in a state auditorium about a mile from the Capitol complex where some 2,000 demonstrators booed when county Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox announced that “the governor will make an announcement right after her smoke break.”
The law will take effect in late July or early August, and Brewer ordered the state’s law enforcement licensing agency to take the training course at the newly developed website for the Ministry of Citizenship.
Darryl
His right to check out quickly at Wal-mart was his premise for drafting this bill? I don’t people being her in my continent illegally either. I wish we had a provision to send all the Caucasian anchor babies home too. They talk about taking care of the land this land has been continually desecrated since their arrival several hundred years ago. Pearce seems to forget that he too is a product of “anchor” babies as well if you really look at the big picture.
Connie Johnson
Is someone (oh, certainly not the Obamanation, radicals or liberal Democrats) trying to block access to the text of AZ SB-1070? No matter what website I have visited in an attempt to obtain the text of the bill, I have been unsuccessful, with no response from the “Enter” key when I find an indication that the text is there, and an inability to access the text through news websites, local websites, and even azleg.gov.
Where can a find a copy of the text online, available for printout? I found it on April 30. Now it’s like “The general public must be protected from this text; ‘We’ will interpret it for them.”
Am I being paranoid, or are “They” really out to get us??
Jack Nasty
Connie…. be patient…. we will get to you in time…. your foil hat and disposable cell phone is no match for our superior intellect and technology. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Hurricane Katrina
I work for a major retail store. We have to turn away several people a day becase they dont have correct id or no id at all. So,red flag comes up and turns out that customer is illegal. I live across the street form illegals. She recieves 2000.00 a month in food stamps. Unemployed of course. I am a single mom of 2 disabled kids and was denied food stamps. I dont even make 9.00 an hour. So. no I will not support them. They are taking from me.
cassy
Katrina, If you were informed better you would not be saying what you said. Who is taking from you?? People with no legal doc have no right to obtain food stamps. Ok, I do agree that some people have fake doc and they might be gatting help. What do you think happens with their social security that they never claim, so who is taking from who?? They still pay TAXES. They are not taking jobs, they get the jobs they have now because the job was avaliable to EVERYONE. I see that you have hurricane katrina, who do you think help you ?? send money , food, and help?? We all pay taxes here.
Sandy
How funny, the way the tables turn. At least the Mexicans are just walking across the boarder, how soon we forget that some people had to come by ship and cross the Atlantic Ocean just to get here. I know my great grandmother would be ashamed of me if I made a law like SB1070.
Maricopa Marie
You know, Katrina, if it is the case that some lady across the street from you is receiving $2000.00 in food stamps and you know she is illegal, why are you not performing your civic duty as an American and turning her into the Federal Food Stamp fraud hot line? Are you an accomplice?
I also would like to know how you know she is illegal and receiving such a large amount of food stamps. For an unemployed person with two children, based on age, the most food stamps they could receive is $500.00 – $200 for the adult and $150.00 for each child. So what you are telling me is that she has 12 children she is legally the guardian for, and is receiving food stamps for.
Secondarily, I don’t really believe you make $9.00 an hour with two kids, who are disabled and you cannot get food stamps.
I don’t believe this for two reasons – the food stamp office has set earnings based on how many members of your family there are. So, you would qualify by these standards unless you own a bunch of cars, real estate other than your personal home you live in, you receive oodles of child support that bumps your income above the earnings limit, etc. A person who works 40 hours a week and receives $9.00 a hour makes $1440.00 a month before taxes. With rent, the cost of travel to work, utilities, etc., you would totally qualify for food stamps and AHCCS.
I also don’t believe you because if you actually applied for food stamps, you would know that you need legal proof, the original document, to prove your citizenship. You need this for yourself and each one of your children to show they are citizens with full rights to receive those benefits. You need all sorts of letters, documents, proof of income and bills. Once you receive food stamps, the last step is finger prints. Hmm. So, uhm, how did this illegal with 12 dependent children get $2000.00 again, and how do you know all about this?
Oh yeah, it would be REALLY HARD to commit welfare fraud with 12 dependent children. Do you know how much work and liability to get caught there would be for this many people? It is easier to do it with 1-3 kids than 12, lady. Nice try. Please tell us another story.
Bill
Governor Jan Brewer simply did what the Federal Government refused to do and what is in accord with National mandates.
What is it that some folks don’t understand about “ILLEGAL.” In my job, I traveled all over this world. Every country that I have visited deports anyone who enters their counties illegally, or they jail them!
Bill
Many responses coming in are obviously from families of illegals or employers of illegals. Why not jail/heavily fine, or otherwise punish persons who knowingly employ illegals?
gaby
you people are some hateful, rude, bastards seriously what gives you guys the right to deny a person becasue thats what they are people just like you and me… any right to be here you sure as hell do not own this land and neither do the people that supposedly claim that this is in fact their territory. stupid idiots none of us here in america are in fact from america brush up on your history idiots we all originated from freaking asia. no one has the right to alienate people just becasue they are not “from here”
Former La Raza VP Cecilia Munoz Named White House Domestic Policy Director | Tennesseans Watching Federal & State Government
[...] in the United States.” The organization most recently lead in vocal opposition against Arizona SB 1070, and received $1,000,000 in earkmarks during fiscal year 2010 “to be used for nationwide [...]