Free Republic

Katherine Figueroa, who obtained a moral victory over Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio when immigration authorities suspended legal proceedings against her undocumented parents, called the win “bittersweet,” since her family’s future in the United States remains uncertain. “I’m happy that so much struggle has served to close the case, but I’m also afraid that at any time they might want to reopen (it),” the 13-year-old U.S. citizen told Efe. The story began four years ago, when Katherine, then 9, was stunned to see television news footage of her parents, Sandra and Carlos Figueroa, in custody after one of Arpaio’s controversial...

PHOENIX -- At age nine, U.S.-born Kathy Figueroa became the public face of hundreds of children impacted by immigration raids and family separation in Arizona. In a YouTube video she pleaded with President Barack Obama for the release of her parents. It was a bold move for a young child whose undocumented relatives were living in the shadows at a time when immigration raids were taking place in neighborhoods and workplaces on an everyday basis. Four years later, a turn of events has the now 13-year-old going from fear and uncertainty to thinking about what dress she will wear to...

Once again, the members of AZCDL have made a difference! Last June, the White Mountain Shooters Association (WMSA), based in Show Low, asked for your assistance in convincing the U. S. Forest Service to allow a shooting range on Forest Service controlled property. You responded with e-mails and letters of support for the project. We have been informed by WMSA that the Special Use Permit for the range has been authorized! The positive response to the Forest Service was so overwhelming that the usual 45 day appeal period was not required and the project will proceed. Located just 5 miles...

Oh the many facets of jihad! Now we’re seeing fire jihad in America. According to reporter David Barnett, a Palestinian jihadist group, Masada al Mujahideen, has recently claimed credit for the ongoing wildfires in Arizona in a statement that was posted to a jihadist forum on Wednesday. Barnett reports: The statement, titled “Masada al-Mujahideen Fulfilled its Promise and Attacked America Again After the Expiration of the Period with Fires that Achieved Historic Results,” was obtained and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group. “We had previously announced an unconventional war against the occupation state of Israel, and then we escalated this...

From an AZCDL email, sourced only as another list:  Mayors Against Illegal Guns/Mom Demand Action "No More Names" bus tour to promote their firearm prohibitionist agenda. Phoenix: Wednesday, July 3rd at 9:00 am at Burton Barr Library, 1221 N Central Avenue, Phoenix 85004. Tucson: Friday, July 5th at 12:00 noon at St. Odilla Church, 7570 North Paseo Del Norte, Tucson 85704.  The MAIG tour has been very tight with information about their schedule, but Second Amendment supporters have been able to provide a small amount of reaction time for protests of these anti-freedom events. They have already had major effects,...

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN Thank you for yours of May 30th, however; there remains a problem:  You have too narrow a focus and you are thinking in double contradictions. To wit, I quote: “I do not believe narrowly expanding background checks impinges on our Second Amendment rights.  Anything we can do within the bounds of the Constitution that would prevent someone who should not have a firearm from getting one is a good thing.”  --John McCain, May 30th, 2013 Nothing you do as a U.S. Senator regarding background checks as pre-condition for exercising any right is within the bounds of the Constitution.  And that...

PHOENIX — Arizona no longer needs to get federal government sign-off for changes in its voting laws. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a section of the Voting Rights Act which created a formula to determine which states and counties have a history of discrimination and therefore must submit any alterations to the Department of Justice for "preclearance.'' That list of nine states has included Arizona. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said he and his four colleagues are not saying there is no longer a problem. "Voting discrimination still exists,'' he said. "No one doubts that.''...

SUN CITY, AZ - The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has taken a man into custody who they believe is suspected of a home invasion in Sun City. According to Officer Christopher Hegstrom, MCSO received a call around 2:00 a.m. on Friday morning about a home invasion taking place near Peoria and 111th Avenues. MCSO says the suspect, 33-year-old Joshua Barnes, was armed when he entered the home. But he picked the wrong home to mess with. The homeowner, Dave Sobley is an armed Maricopa County Sheriff posse member. "I met him in the hallway after I heard the yelling coming...

Early Friday morning, Yuma police officers responded to a 9-1-1 call of shots fired in the 500 block of East Country Club Drive. "After searching [officers] heard of a individual who had a gunshot wound," said Officer Joe Franklin of the Yuma Police Department. Investigators say a resident shot a man after he allegedly attempted to break into the yard of the home. Less than three weeks ago, Michael Sykora, 19, died after police say he broke into a house through the doggy door. The home owner shot him. That incident left neighbors on edge... Saying they would also defend...

INDIANAPOLIS – Common Core hasn’t been fully implemented yet, but it’s already making it easier for teachers to inject their political preferences into their lesson plans. That’s the case in Indianapolis’ Cathedral High School, where English teacher Melinda Bundy ... “I didn’t want to teach the Constitution, I didn’t want to teach the Declaration of Independence,” ... teachers who use their classrooms to promote (usually) left-wing political causes. But under Common Core, those activist teachers will be able to excuse their behavior by simply saying, “Common Core made me do it.” Indiana lawmakers have prudently hit the “pause” button on...

One Colt Sporter like this one was turned in; another AR15 type rifle went to a private buyer At the turn in events this May in Phoenix, a premium was offered for the turn in of "Assault Rifles" or "Assault Weapons". People who turned in those items were to be given double the premium for ordinary firearms, gift cards worth $100 in food. I asked Steve Martos, the Phoenix PD Sargent who coordinated with reporters, what the definition of an "Assault Rifle" was for the event. Those who gave out the gift cards had to have some definition to determine...

Shelves of the Walmart on 24th St. have a few boxes of .38, .40, and .380 I was pleasantly surprised to see a few boxes of pistol ammunition along with the 12, 16, 20, and .410 birdshot shotgun loads on the shelves of this Walmart. The clerk said that they had been delivered today, but I saw them at 2:30 pm. He said that .223 cartridges were out the door within an hour, as were any .22 that they received. As usual, they had plenty of .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, .300 Winchester, .300 WSM, and some .22-250. They also...

Special thanks to Gun Owners of Arizona, for bringing this to our attention. The Tucson City Council is expected to enact two local firearms ordinances, in violation of State firearms preemption laws, at their meeting on Wednesday, May 29. The first ordinance will create a $100 fine if a person does not report the loss or theft of their firearm within 48 hours from the time it was stolen or the owner “should have known” it was stolen. Why go after the person who stole a firearm when they can punish the owner instead? The second ordinance is an attempt...

Authorities have identified 19-year-old Matthew Sykora of Yuma as the teen who came across an armed homeowner in the middle of the night during a possible home invasion. Yuma County Sheriff's deputies arrived to the home in the area of S. Avenue D and County 14th at 1:22 a.m. to find the Yuma teen dead from a single gunshot wound. Sheriff deputies said the homeowner called 911 to report being woken up after hearing sounds in the home. The homeowner has not been named. Records show, this was not the teen's first time in trouble with the law; in January...

The Senate Judiciary Committee has increased the already-sizable length of the “Gang of Eight” immigration reform bill to more than a thousand pages during the markup process ... The first version of the bill that was filed by the eight senators--Marco Rubio (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), John McCain (R-AZ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ)--totaled 844 pages. An updated version, filed just before the bill went to the committee markup, stretched 867 pages in length. The new bill towers over previous versions in length, clocking in at 1,076 pages. It...

Four Armed Colorado River Tea Party Members Exercise Their Rights About 50 people showed up at high noon in Yuma to exercise their First and Second Amendment rights. A common theme among the Tea Party members was that using the machinery of government to suppress dissent and political opposition is the very essence of tyranny. Signs varied from "Shut Down the IRS" to "We will not be Intimidated" to "Obama IRS Tyrant!" to "Congress disregards the Constitution it's up to us to do something" About 50 Protesters Showed up. I counted nearly 40, and several joined the group over...

Phoenix police are in a race against time in processing guns that the city purchased at recent gun buyback events. A new Arizona law that hasn't yet taken effect bars cities and counties from destroying guns turned over to police at buyback events and instead requires that the guns be resold. The Arizona Republic reports (http://bit.ly/19QbpVe) that Phoenix's program brought in 979 weapons in two sessions earlier this month and an additional 937 guns on Saturday. The law will go into effect 90 days after the legislative session ends, which could be any day. Police are already struggling to process...

A fraction of the long guns turn in at the 4 May event in Phoenix. Mostly inexpensive guns, but note the well cared for Browning Auto 5 and the full military Mauser A sample of the handguns turned in at the 4 May event in Phoenix. The Ruger Security Six and the Colt Detective Special appear to be in good to excellent condition The Phoenix gun turn in event held on 4 May in Phoenix resulted in approximately 800 guns being turned over to police, most of which are destined for destruction. About 100 private buyers offered cash for guns,...

I was out running this morning (missed a session yesterday covering the Phoenix Gun Turn in). I was open carrying, a habit I picked up during Desert Storm back in the 90's in Arizona, not the sandbox. While running, I heard a short honk. I turned to see a Yuma Sheriff's Dept. truck going by and caught a friendly wave from the deputy. Nice to be trusted by peace officers. In my experience, Sheriff departments are very supportive of armed citizens. Dean Weingarten

While Senator Joe Manchin decides whether to reintroduce his failed background checks bill, other lawmakers are busy passing new gun measures that decrease rather than increase regulation. In Arizona, where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot a little over two years ago in a rampage that left six people dead, including a federal judge, the legislature and the governor have devoted themselves to protecting the firearm supply. On Monday, Gov. Jan Brewer signed two gun laws. One would forbid cities and counties from destroying weapons they obtained through gun-buyback programs. Instead, they must resell them so that guns purchased by police...