[frontera-list] Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer explains signing nation's toughest illegal immigration law
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molly
Apr 23, 2010, 8:34:40 PM4/23/10
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Below is some analysis from the Christian Science Monitor.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/04/jan-brewer-arizona-illegal-immigration.html
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer explains signing nation's toughest illegal
immigration law
April 23, 2010 | 4:12 pm
Mexico US Border Fence
Remarks by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, as provided by her office
Thank you for being here today, to join me as we take another step
forward in protecting the state of Arizona.
The bill I’m about to sign into law – Senate Bill 1070 – represents
another tool for our state to use as we work to solve a crisis we did
not create and the federal government has refused to fix the crisis
caused by illegal immigration and Arizona’s porous border.
This bill, the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act,
strengthens the laws of our state.
It protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our
state lawfully.
And, it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of ALL
in Arizona remain solid -- stable and steadfast.
I will now sign Senate Bill 1070.
For weeks, this legislation has been the subject of....
...vigorous debate and intense criticism. My decision to sign it was
by no means made lightly.
I have listened patiently to both sides. I have considered the
significance of this new law long into the night. I have prayed for
strength and prayed for our state.
I’ve decided to sign Senate Bill 1070 into law because, though many
people disagree, I firmly believe it represents what’s best for
Arizona. Border-related violence and crime due to illegal immigration
are critically important issues to the people of our state, to my
Administration and to me, as your Governor and as a citizen.
There is no higher priority than protecting the citizens of Arizona.
We cannot sacrifice our safety to the murderous greed of drug cartels.
We cannot stand idly by as drop houses, kidnappings and violence
compromise our quality of life.
We cannot delay while the destruction happening south of our
international border creeps its way north.
We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to
act.
But decades of federal inaction and misguided policy have created a
dangerous and unacceptable situation.
Yesterday, I announced the steps I was taking to enhance security
along our border.
Today – with my unwavering signature on this legislation – Arizona
strengthens its security WITHIN our borders.
Let me be clear, though: My signature today represents my steadfast
support for enforcing the law — both AGAINST illegal immigration AND
against racial profiling.
This legislation mirrors federal laws regarding immigration
enforcement.
Despite erroneous and misleading statements suggesting otherwise, the
new state misdemeanor crime of willful failure to complete or carry an
alien registration document is adopted, verbatim, from the same
offense found in federal statute.
I will NOT tolerate racial discrimination or racial profiling in
Arizona.
Because I feel so strongly on this subject, I worked for weeks with
legislators to amend SB 1070, to strengthen its civil rights
protections.
That effort led to new language in the bill, language prohibiting law
enforcement officers from “solely considering race, color, or national
origin in implementing the requirements of this section…”
The bill already required that it “shall be implemented in a manner
consistent with federal laws regulating immigration, protecting the
civil rights of all persons and respecting the privileges and
immunities of United States citizens.”
While the general protection was already included, I believe the issue
is so important, we needed to make it CRYSTAL clear.
And I believe that we need to more than simply inscribe it in statute.
Words in a law book are of no use if our police officers are not
properly trained on the provisions of SB 1070, including its civil
rights provisions.
Today I am issuing an executive order directing the Arizona Peace
Officer Standards and Training Board – AZPOST -- to develop training
to appropriately implement SB 1070.
Importantly, this training will include what DOES – and DOES NOT –
constitute “reasonable suspicion” that a person is not legally present
in the United States.
Currently, AZPOST serves approximately 170 law enforcement agencies
encompassing over 16,000 sworn peace officers, 9,000 correctional
service officers, and 16 training academies.
The AZPOST Board of Directors includes the Arizona Attorney General,
the Directors of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Arizona
Department of Corrections, several county sheriffs, and local police
departments.
I am also asking the Board to make recommendations on possible
improvements to SB 1070 before the end of the year.
For 28 years in public service, I have worked without fail to solve
problems diligently and practically. I have done so always with an eye
toward civility, and always with the greatest respect for the rule of
law.
This new law is no different: As committed as I am to protecting our
state from crime associated with illegal immigration I am EQUALLY
committed to holding law enforcement accountable should this statute
ever be misused to violate an individual’s rights.
Respect for the rule of law means respect for every law. I have led
that way every day in every office I have ever held. That will not
change.
I have also spent my career in service to Arizona working to bring
people together, no matter the color of their skin and no matter the
depth of our disagreements.
This bill – and this issue – will be no exception.
While protecting our citizens is paramount, it cannot come at the
expense of the diversity that has made Arizona so great. Nor can
safety mean a compromise of freedom for some, while we, the many, turn
a blind eye.
We must acknowledge the truth – people across America are watching
Arizona, seeing how we implement this law, ready to jump on even the
slightest misstep.
Some of those people from outside our state have an interest in seeing
us fail.
They will wait for a single slip-up, one mistake, and then they will
work day and night to create headlines and get the face time they so
desperately covet.
We cannot give them that chance.
We must use this new tool wisely, and fight for our safety with the
honor Arizona deserves.
We must react calmly.
We must enforce the law evenly, and without regard to skin color,
accent, or social status.
We must prove the alarmists and the cynics wrong.
I know in my heart that this great state, my home for more than 40
years, is up to the task.
I believe every one of us wants to be safe, and none of us wants to
compromise on the subject of civil rights.
I believe we must love and honor those who fight beside us – just as
we must love and honor those who look and believe nothing like we do.
I believe Arizona, like America, is governed by laws.
Good laws … well-intentioned laws … laws that confer respect and that
demand respect in return.
In his third State of the Union address, President Theodore Roosevelt
said, “No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask
any man's permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience to the
law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor.”
So, let us move forward -- ever mindful of our rights …-- ever
faithful to the law … and ever conscious of our bond as Arizonans, and
the blessing we share together. Thank you. ####
Related items:
So what does the new Arizona law actually do?
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signs controversial law in state melting pot
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0423/What-will-Washington-do-about-the-Arizona-immigration-law
CSMonitor.com
Christian Science Monitor
What will Washington do about the Arizona immigration law?
The Arizona immigration law takes center stage in Washington after
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill Friday that makes it a crime to be in
the United States illegally.
Temp Headline Image
Arizona immigration law: After Gov. Jan Brewer (R) of Arizona signed
legislation that makes it a state crime to be in the United States
illegally, Congress and the Obama administration must decide what to
do about the that makes it a state crime to be in the United States
illegally
(Cheryl Evans/The Arizona Republic/AP)
By Linda Feldmann, Staff writer
posted April 23, 2010 at 7:20 pm EDT
Washington —
Immigration has shot to center stage in Washington, following the
signing Friday by Gov. Jan Brewer (R) of Arizona of legislation that
makes it a state crime to be in the United States illegally. The law
also requires Arizona police officers to question people about their
immigration status if there is cause for suspicion.
It is being called the toughest legislation against illegal
immigration in the country.
At the signing ceremony in Phoenix, Governor Brewer defended what she
called her “unwavering signature” on the bill, despite concerns that
the new law could result in racial profiling and other violations of
civil liberties.
Arizona, which borders on Mexico, has long struggled with illegal
immigration. Brewer discussed “border-related violence and crime due
to illegal immigration,” but added that she had worked with
legislators to strengthen civil-rights protections in the bill.
Brewer also blamed Washington for failing to address the immigration
crisis in the US, where estimates of the undocumented immigrant
population range from 12 million to 20 million.
“We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to
act,” Brewer said. “But decades of inaction and misguided policy have
created a dangerous and unacceptable situation.”
Obama urges Congress to pass immigration legislation
In remarks Friday morning, before Brewer’s decision to sign was known,
President Obama called the bill “misguided” and said he had instructed
members of his administration to “closely monitor the situation and
examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation.”
He also urged Congress to proceed with legislation, in an effort to
preempt actions by other state legislatures.
“Our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open
the door to irresponsibility by others,” Obama said in a Rose Garden
naturalization ceremony for 24 foreign-born members of the US
military. “And that includes, for example, the recent efforts in
Arizona which threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we
cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their
communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”
Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada said earlier this week
that he would accelerate action on comprehensive immigration reform,
putting it ahead of an energy bill. The legislation would address both
border enforcement as well as a guest-worker program and a path to
citizenship for undocumented workers.
House Democrats have expressed skepticism that such legislation can
pass amid Washington’s sharp partisanship, especially in the run-up to
midterm elections.
“I am not sure the Senate can move an immigration bill,” House
majority leader Steny Hoyer (D) of Maryland said at a Monitor
breakfast Thursday. But, he added, “if [Senator Reid] can move an
immigration bill, the position the speaker and I have taken is we will
address that matter.”
Immigration can be a politically risky issue
Immigration is a politically charged issue for both parties.
For Democrats, the reward for taking up immigration is that it
satisfies the Hispanic lobby, which has long fought for comprehensive
reform. Obama won 68 percent of the Hispanic vote in his presidential
election, and it’s a constituency he wants to hold.
But there are major risks for Democrats in promoting anything that can
be called “amnesty,” which is how opponents characterize a pathway to
citizenship. Democratic members of Congress sitting in swing districts
and states are leery of voting for an immigration reform that can be
used against them in November.
Thus, the doubts about passing legislation this year.
For Republicans, the risk in opposing reform is that they lose
political ground with Hispanics, the fastest-growing minority in the
country.
Democrats hope they can bring along at least a few Senate Republicans
both in crafting legislative language and in reaching the 60 votes
needed to defeat an expected filibuster.
So far, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina is the only
Republican senator working with Democrats on a bill. On Tuesday, Obama
reached out to several other Senate Republicans, with no success.
© The Christian Science Monitor. All Rights Reserved. Terms under
which this service is provided to you. Privacy Policy.
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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/04/jan-brewer-arizona-illegal-immigration.html
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer explains signing nation's toughest illegal
immigration law
April 23, 2010 | 4:12 pm
Mexico US Border Fence
Remarks by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, as provided by her office
Thank you for being here today, to join me as we take another step
forward in protecting the state of Arizona.
The bill I’m about to sign into law – Senate Bill 1070 – represents
another tool for our state to use as we work to solve a crisis we did
not create and the federal government has refused to fix the crisis
caused by illegal immigration and Arizona’s porous border.
This bill, the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act,
strengthens the laws of our state.
It protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our
state lawfully.
And, it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of ALL
in Arizona remain solid -- stable and steadfast.
I will now sign Senate Bill 1070.
For weeks, this legislation has been the subject of....
...vigorous debate and intense criticism. My decision to sign it was
by no means made lightly.
I have listened patiently to both sides. I have considered the
significance of this new law long into the night. I have prayed for
strength and prayed for our state.
I’ve decided to sign Senate Bill 1070 into law because, though many
people disagree, I firmly believe it represents what’s best for
Arizona. Border-related violence and crime due to illegal immigration
are critically important issues to the people of our state, to my
Administration and to me, as your Governor and as a citizen.
There is no higher priority than protecting the citizens of Arizona.
We cannot sacrifice our safety to the murderous greed of drug cartels.
We cannot stand idly by as drop houses, kidnappings and violence
compromise our quality of life.
We cannot delay while the destruction happening south of our
international border creeps its way north.
We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to
act.
But decades of federal inaction and misguided policy have created a
dangerous and unacceptable situation.
Yesterday, I announced the steps I was taking to enhance security
along our border.
Today – with my unwavering signature on this legislation – Arizona
strengthens its security WITHIN our borders.
Let me be clear, though: My signature today represents my steadfast
support for enforcing the law — both AGAINST illegal immigration AND
against racial profiling.
This legislation mirrors federal laws regarding immigration
enforcement.
Despite erroneous and misleading statements suggesting otherwise, the
new state misdemeanor crime of willful failure to complete or carry an
alien registration document is adopted, verbatim, from the same
offense found in federal statute.
I will NOT tolerate racial discrimination or racial profiling in
Arizona.
Because I feel so strongly on this subject, I worked for weeks with
legislators to amend SB 1070, to strengthen its civil rights
protections.
That effort led to new language in the bill, language prohibiting law
enforcement officers from “solely considering race, color, or national
origin in implementing the requirements of this section…”
The bill already required that it “shall be implemented in a manner
consistent with federal laws regulating immigration, protecting the
civil rights of all persons and respecting the privileges and
immunities of United States citizens.”
While the general protection was already included, I believe the issue
is so important, we needed to make it CRYSTAL clear.
And I believe that we need to more than simply inscribe it in statute.
Words in a law book are of no use if our police officers are not
properly trained on the provisions of SB 1070, including its civil
rights provisions.
Today I am issuing an executive order directing the Arizona Peace
Officer Standards and Training Board – AZPOST -- to develop training
to appropriately implement SB 1070.
Importantly, this training will include what DOES – and DOES NOT –
constitute “reasonable suspicion” that a person is not legally present
in the United States.
Currently, AZPOST serves approximately 170 law enforcement agencies
encompassing over 16,000 sworn peace officers, 9,000 correctional
service officers, and 16 training academies.
The AZPOST Board of Directors includes the Arizona Attorney General,
the Directors of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Arizona
Department of Corrections, several county sheriffs, and local police
departments.
I am also asking the Board to make recommendations on possible
improvements to SB 1070 before the end of the year.
For 28 years in public service, I have worked without fail to solve
problems diligently and practically. I have done so always with an eye
toward civility, and always with the greatest respect for the rule of
law.
This new law is no different: As committed as I am to protecting our
state from crime associated with illegal immigration I am EQUALLY
committed to holding law enforcement accountable should this statute
ever be misused to violate an individual’s rights.
Respect for the rule of law means respect for every law. I have led
that way every day in every office I have ever held. That will not
change.
I have also spent my career in service to Arizona working to bring
people together, no matter the color of their skin and no matter the
depth of our disagreements.
This bill – and this issue – will be no exception.
While protecting our citizens is paramount, it cannot come at the
expense of the diversity that has made Arizona so great. Nor can
safety mean a compromise of freedom for some, while we, the many, turn
a blind eye.
We must acknowledge the truth – people across America are watching
Arizona, seeing how we implement this law, ready to jump on even the
slightest misstep.
Some of those people from outside our state have an interest in seeing
us fail.
They will wait for a single slip-up, one mistake, and then they will
work day and night to create headlines and get the face time they so
desperately covet.
We cannot give them that chance.
We must use this new tool wisely, and fight for our safety with the
honor Arizona deserves.
We must react calmly.
We must enforce the law evenly, and without regard to skin color,
accent, or social status.
We must prove the alarmists and the cynics wrong.
I know in my heart that this great state, my home for more than 40
years, is up to the task.
I believe every one of us wants to be safe, and none of us wants to
compromise on the subject of civil rights.
I believe we must love and honor those who fight beside us – just as
we must love and honor those who look and believe nothing like we do.
I believe Arizona, like America, is governed by laws.
Good laws … well-intentioned laws … laws that confer respect and that
demand respect in return.
In his third State of the Union address, President Theodore Roosevelt
said, “No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask
any man's permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience to the
law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor.”
So, let us move forward -- ever mindful of our rights …-- ever
faithful to the law … and ever conscious of our bond as Arizonans, and
the blessing we share together. Thank you. ####
Related items:
So what does the new Arizona law actually do?
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signs controversial law in state melting pot
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0423/What-will-Washington-do-about-the-Arizona-immigration-law
CSMonitor.com
Christian Science Monitor
What will Washington do about the Arizona immigration law?
The Arizona immigration law takes center stage in Washington after
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill Friday that makes it a crime to be in
the United States illegally.
Temp Headline Image
Arizona immigration law: After Gov. Jan Brewer (R) of Arizona signed
legislation that makes it a state crime to be in the United States
illegally, Congress and the Obama administration must decide what to
do about the that makes it a state crime to be in the United States
illegally
(Cheryl Evans/The Arizona Republic/AP)
By Linda Feldmann, Staff writer
posted April 23, 2010 at 7:20 pm EDT
Washington —
Immigration has shot to center stage in Washington, following the
signing Friday by Gov. Jan Brewer (R) of Arizona of legislation that
makes it a state crime to be in the United States illegally. The law
also requires Arizona police officers to question people about their
immigration status if there is cause for suspicion.
It is being called the toughest legislation against illegal
immigration in the country.
At the signing ceremony in Phoenix, Governor Brewer defended what she
called her “unwavering signature” on the bill, despite concerns that
the new law could result in racial profiling and other violations of
civil liberties.
Arizona, which borders on Mexico, has long struggled with illegal
immigration. Brewer discussed “border-related violence and crime due
to illegal immigration,” but added that she had worked with
legislators to strengthen civil-rights protections in the bill.
Brewer also blamed Washington for failing to address the immigration
crisis in the US, where estimates of the undocumented immigrant
population range from 12 million to 20 million.
“We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to
act,” Brewer said. “But decades of inaction and misguided policy have
created a dangerous and unacceptable situation.”
Obama urges Congress to pass immigration legislation
In remarks Friday morning, before Brewer’s decision to sign was known,
President Obama called the bill “misguided” and said he had instructed
members of his administration to “closely monitor the situation and
examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation.”
He also urged Congress to proceed with legislation, in an effort to
preempt actions by other state legislatures.
“Our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open
the door to irresponsibility by others,” Obama said in a Rose Garden
naturalization ceremony for 24 foreign-born members of the US
military. “And that includes, for example, the recent efforts in
Arizona which threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we
cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their
communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”
Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada said earlier this week
that he would accelerate action on comprehensive immigration reform,
putting it ahead of an energy bill. The legislation would address both
border enforcement as well as a guest-worker program and a path to
citizenship for undocumented workers.
House Democrats have expressed skepticism that such legislation can
pass amid Washington’s sharp partisanship, especially in the run-up to
midterm elections.
“I am not sure the Senate can move an immigration bill,” House
majority leader Steny Hoyer (D) of Maryland said at a Monitor
breakfast Thursday. But, he added, “if [Senator Reid] can move an
immigration bill, the position the speaker and I have taken is we will
address that matter.”
Immigration can be a politically risky issue
Immigration is a politically charged issue for both parties.
For Democrats, the reward for taking up immigration is that it
satisfies the Hispanic lobby, which has long fought for comprehensive
reform. Obama won 68 percent of the Hispanic vote in his presidential
election, and it’s a constituency he wants to hold.
But there are major risks for Democrats in promoting anything that can
be called “amnesty,” which is how opponents characterize a pathway to
citizenship. Democratic members of Congress sitting in swing districts
and states are leery of voting for an immigration reform that can be
used against them in November.
Thus, the doubts about passing legislation this year.
For Republicans, the risk in opposing reform is that they lose
political ground with Hispanics, the fastest-growing minority in the
country.
Democrats hope they can bring along at least a few Senate Republicans
both in crafting legislative language and in reaching the 60 votes
needed to defeat an expected filibuster.
So far, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina is the only
Republican senator working with Democrats on a bill. On Tuesday, Obama
reached out to several other Senate Republicans, with no success.
© The Christian Science Monitor. All Rights Reserved. Terms under
which this service is provided to you. Privacy Policy.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Frontera LIst" group.
To post to this group, send email to molly...@gmail.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
frontera-lis...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
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