Free Republic

Arizona state politicians will introduce model legislation this week to encourage states to prevent children of illegal immigrants from being granted citizenship under the 14th Amendment. Lawmakers in at least 14 states have said they are committed to passing the legislation targeting birthright citizenship. Arizona's anti-illegal-immigrant bill, SB-1070, was also based on model legislation that could be easily copied by states, and at least seven states are likely to pass bills similar to the first Arizona immigration overhaul this year, according to one analysis by an immigrants rights group. Arizona state Senator Russell Pearce will unveil the bill Jan. 5...

Republican activists on Thursday released a video of Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, a centrist Democrat now running for an open Arizona U.S. Senate seat, advising liberal activists how to "stop your state from becoming like Arizona." The surreptitious recording dates from 2011, after Arizona Republicans had passed SB1070, a controversial immigration law that led to nationwide boycotts and concern even among some Arizona Republicans that the Legislature had moved too far right. Those concerns led to a recall against the then-senate president Russell Pearce, whom Sinema blamed in her remarks for much of the discord. But the talk also contains unusually...

Before he was recalled in 2011, Arizona state Senate President Russell Pearce was arguably the most powerful man in Arizona politics. Elected in 2000 to represent Mesa, Pearce was known primarily for his efforts aimed at undocumented immigrants, most notably Senate Bill 1070. (SNIP) Prop 100—passed by 78 percent. [Proposition 100 denied bond to undocumented immigrants. It was later ruled unconstitutional.] Prop 200—passed by almost 60 percent. [Proposition 200 partly required proof of citizenship to vote in state and federal elections. Portions of it were also struck down.] Employer sanctions—overwhelmingly supported; S.B. 1070—supported by over 73 percent. Tell me what...

Cincinnati Fire Fighters (IAFF) member Doug Stern says yesterday’s overwhelming rejection of Gov. John Kasich’s (R) attempt to eliminate collective bargaining rights of workers like firefighters, nurses, teachers, bridge inspectors and others shows: [T]he citizens of Ohio spoke and they made it loud and clear that the focus of government should be on creating sustainable middle class jobs, rather than  pushing a partisan political agenda. Stern, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Louise Foresman, a member of Working America from Cleveland, took part in a telephone press conference this afternoon about the stunning victory for working families that sent Issue 2 down to...

I’ll discuss this at length in the days ahead, but I’d be remiss in not reporting the news that Senator Pearce seems to have been recalled by voters in Arizona’s Legislative District 18. The people who want to turn Arizona into a haven for illegal aliens would appear to have achieved a significant political victory, although it should be noted that they needed to resort to gross deception in order to win. Even so, it can’t be denied that this is a huge feather in the cap of a well-funded, media-supported open borders political machine and that the strategy used...

Reporting from Mesa, Ariz.— The strain of conservatism that propelled Arizona lawmaker Russell Pearce to a powerful perch in state politics could also prove to be his downfall. Pearce, president of the state Senate, will face off Tuesday against fellow Republican Jerry Lewis in a recall election in their suburban Phoenix district. The election is the culmination of a nearly yearlong effort to oust the controversial Pearce, arguably the state's most powerful politician. Supporters champion his gruff, unwavering commitment to conservative ideals, while critics call him a bully whose tactics are divisive.

This site was founded in support of Arizona and its bold stand against the Obama administration’s shameful record of non-enforcement, vis-a-vis this country’s immigration laws. That’s why we fully support State Senate Majority Leader Russell Pearce in his fight to retain his seat in the Arizona State Senate. The forces arrayed against him, from open borders fanatics posing as devout Mormons, to radical leftist smear merchants, to RINOs supported by the Arizona Democrat Party, like his opponent Jerry Lewis, have done everything in their capacity to bring down the man who sparked a revolution in this nation’s attitude towards enforcing...

An Arizona judge ruled Friday that a special election to recall state Senate President Russell Pearce, the primary sponsor behind a controversial anti-illegal immigration law that a federal court struck down in April, can be held November 8 as planned. In an 11-page ruling, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Hugh E. Hegyi rejected nearly all of the arguments alleging problems with the recall petition. The suit was filed by Franklin Bruce Ross, who backs Pearce and who alleged problems in the way the recall petitions were filled out. The suit cited as an example the language in the oath sworn...

Gov. Jan Brewer on Tuesday announced a Nov. 8 recall election for state Senate President Russell Pearce, a Republican known nationally for sponsoring Arizona's legislation against illegal immigration. Brewer's action was expected because elections officials certified last week that opponents of Pearce had collected enough signatures to force the recall election. Pearce said he was considering whether to mount a legal challenge to the certification of the recall election. He said he will actively campaign for retention by voters in his legislative district in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa if the election is held. "I have never lost an election...

The chief sponsor of Arizona's controversial anti-illegal immigration law SB1070 will likely face a recall election, according to news reports. State Senate President Russell Pearce, who is well known for his stance against illegal immigration, will face a recall election in November after Maricopa County officials certified that petitioners gathered more than enough valid signatures to force a special vote, according to FoxNews.com and the Associated Press. Arizona State Senate President Russell Pearce, chief sponsor of the state's controversial anti-illegal immigration law, will likely face a recall election in November. Citizens for a Better Arizona are leading the recall initiative....

The U.S. Justice Department doesn't want the author of Arizona's new immigration law to be a party in the state's appeal of a ruling that put parts of the law on hold. The Justice Department tells the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that state Sen. Russell Pearce shouldn't be a party to the appeal because Gov. Jan Brewer's attorneys are already defending the law. Pearce's attorneys say their client has a unique interest in making sure the law's objectives are defended and is concerned the state doesn't adequately represent his interests.

Emboldened by passage of the nation's toughest law against illegal immigration, the Arizona politician who sponsored the measure now wants to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in this country to undocumented parents. "I think the time is right," said state Rep. John Kavanagh, a Republican from suburban Phoenix who is chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. "Federal inaction is unacceptable, so the states have to start the process." An estimated 10.8 million illegal immigrants were living in the U.S. as of January 2009, according to the Homeland Security Department. The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that as of 2008,...

Since Arizona’s local law enforcement began enforcing illegal immigration laws and an employer sanctions law went into effect, illegal immigrants have been fleeing the state in large numbers. The effects have been far-ranging. Commuters are reporting fewer vehicles on the freeways, shortening their rush-hour commutes. What had become a serious transportation problem in Arizona is losing its urgency. English Learner Language (ELL) students started dropping out of school. This helped end a confrontation between the state legislature and a liberal federal judge who had ordered the state to spend more money on ELL classes. Fewer illegal immigrants are using hospital...

State. Rep. Russell Pearce -- a Mesa Republican and a conservative firebrand in the immigration debate -- has formed an exploratory committee for a possible Congressional run. Pearce -- who favors tighter immigration controls -- is eyeing a possible challenge of U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Mesa. Flake has been a proponent of the business-backed guest worker program and federal immigration reforms that include a legal path for undocumented migrants already in the U.S. Pearce opposes such reforms and is a key advocate of a new state law that calls for revocation of business licenses if employers are caught knowingly hiring...

The rhetoric of Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, against illegal immigrants, coupled with a racist e-mail he inadvertently forwarded to friends several weeks ago, has rallied at least one group of unwelcome supporters: white supremacists. Around the country — on blogs, forums and e-mails — members and supporters of white-supremacist groups have been posting the news articles about Pearce on the Internet and cheering him on... ...On Friday, Pearce said he has very little knowledge about the different white-supremacist groups, but he is disturbed that they are posting his e-mail address on their sites. "There are groups out there that are...

Russell Pearce for Governor Like many other Arizona politicians, Governor Napolitano is a Janet come lately in addressing the problems facing Arizona that are caused by illegal immigration and a unsecured border. Clearly, the popularity of Proposition 200 has motivated many politicians, including Napolitano, to stop ignoring the issue and get on board the illegal immigration bandwagon. Governor Napolitano, and presidential want-to-be, Senator John McCain, certainly want to down-play their strong opposition to passage of Prop. 200. Many Republican politicians, who wouldn't touch the illegal immigration issue before passage of Proposition 200, are now championing the issue. These Janet, and,...

State Rep. Russell Pearce -- a business ally on taxes but adversary on immigration issues -- is considering a run for either governor or Congress next year. Pearce, a conservative Republican from Mesa, is looking at either challenging Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano or East Valley Congressman Jeff Flake next year. The conservative Pearce said he is "contemplating" a run against Flake in next year's GOP primary and is being encouraged by other supporters to take on Napolitano. Pearce is a top advocate of tougher border and immigration controls, including denying state welfare benefits and other services to illegal immigrants and...

An illegal immigrant from Mexico was sentenced Monday to 51 years in prison for wounding two Maricopa County sheriff's deputies in a shootout in December.Prosecutors sought a 63-year sentence for Jorge Guerra-Vargas, who said in Maricopa County Superior Court that he fired on a seven member Special Weapons and Tactics team noy knowing they were cops."I thought they were thieves. I was scared," Vargas said through an interpeter.Vargas pleaded guilty May 2 to three counts of aggravated assault.A sheriff's SWAT unit was serving a search warrant Dec. 16 at a trailer home in a county in Mesa when Vargas opened...

PAN Phoenix Rally Report - America’s Focus on Arizona’s PAN Initiative By Dennis Durband, Editor On Thursday evening, the eyes of America focused on Arizona, ground zero in the border invasion that tears at the fabric of the nation. Lawmakers and immigration experts came to Phoenix to encourage volunteers to do everything possible to succeed in getting the Protect Arizona Now (PAN) initiative qualified for the fall ballot. PAN aims to require proof of citizenship to register to vote, photo I.D. when voting and proof of eligibility to receive non-federal mandated public benefits. By June 30th, PAN must submit 122,000...