By Alia Beard Rau | The Arizona Republic
Arizona has played a prominent role in the nation’s debate on illegal immigration, taking a tough stance on enforcement and pushing for the federal government to secure the border with Mexico.
But the federal immigration-reform measure introduced in Congress last week would take the country in a direction that could leave Arizona’s get-tough policy in the dust and change the state’s role on the issue.
Over the past 17 years, Arizona voters, the state Legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer have supported measures that deny driver’s licenses and public benefits to illegal immigrants, fine employers who hire illegal immigrants and require illegal immigrants to pay out-of-state tuition for college. In 2010, the state passed the toughest immigration law in the nation with Senate Bill 1070, which requires law enforcement to check immigration status in certain situations.
The overarching theme was a push for “attrition through enforcement” — passing strict laws designed to deter more illegal immigrants from coming to Arizona and to encourage those already here to leave.
Now, the federal immigration bill crafted by the Senate’s bipartisan “Gang of Eight,” including Arizona Republicans John McCain and Jeff Flake, proposes moving the nation toward comprehensive reform that incorporates securing the border, offering a way for illegal immigrants already in the country to become U.S. citizens, strengthening workplace enforcement and creating new visa programs.
Supporters of the proposal say it’s Arizona’s chance to lead the nation in a new direction and reform the state’s reputation.
If you’d like to discuss immigration matters, contact Brian Bergin, director of Rose Law Group Litigation, bbergin@roselawgroup.com
