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New border battle looms at Capitol
Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona (Capital Media Services) ^ | Howard Fischer

Posted on 02/16/2007 5:43:56 PM PST by SandRat

PHOENIX — State lawmakers are setting the stage for yet another battle at the ballot over border security and illegal immigration.

On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee approved a measure to ask voters to approve a law making it a state crime for someone who entered this country illegally to be anywhere in Arizona. That would include not just public places but even private ones. HCR 2022, which now goes to the full House, would make a first offense punishable by up to six months in jail.

But repeat offenders could find themselves facing 2 1/2 years in state prison. And those arrested who also had illegal drugs or dangerous weapons would be subject to five years behind bars.

A different panel decided earlier in the week to seek voter approval to spend $25 million to buy ground radar and other devices designed to spot people coming across the border illegally.

And another proposed ballot measure awaiting a hearing would require local police departments to cooperate with federal agencies in enforcing immigration law.

But that may not be the end of it: Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said he also may try to get voters to approve tough penalties against employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers.

Pearce has a bill to do that statutorily. But aside from fearing a veto by Gov. Janet Napolitano, who rejected a similar measure last year, Pearce said he believes some Republican colleagues may dilute the proposal amid intense lobbying by business interests.

His alternative would bypass the Legislature entirely and instead start a petition drive to put the issue on the ballot in the form he wants.

All this could mean the third election in a row where voters are asked to approve changes in law billed by sponsors as attacking illegal immigration. All four measures on the 2006 ballot were approved, as was one two years earlier.

The latest measure on trespass is virtually identical to a provision Napolitano vetoed last year.

Pearce said he’s not trying to turn police officers and sheriff’s deputies into full-time immigration enforcers. In fact, HCR 2022 is worded so a person could be questioned about legal presence in this country only if first stopped for some other reason.

And Pearce said police remain free to simply hold the person until federal agents arrive.

This, he said, would let them instead bring state charges to deter repeat offenders.

Pearce said there are too many situations where people turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement are back in the country almost immediately.

Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever said that is a problem not just in Arizona but all along the border.

Dever said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who chairs the immigration subcommittee of the National Sheriffs’ Association, told him about how his own deputies check the legal status of people serving time in jail on other charges and make sure that when they are released they are turned over to federal agents.

“He said, ‘We’re doing that. But we’re actually getting people back in our jails — not just back in our community — four or five days after they’ve been deported,” Dever said.

Dever said, though, a new law will do him little good if the state does not also provide counties with the funds to incarcerate those they arrest.

Pearce acknowledged his measure contains no cash, saying that can’t be something sent to the ballot. But Pearce said another of his measures making its way through the Legislature provides $25 million in grants that can be sought by border law enforcement agencies.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Mexico; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: aliens; arizona; battle; border; immigrantlist; looms; phoenix

1 posted on 02/16/2007 5:43:57 PM PST by SandRat
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To: HiJinx; Spiff; Borax Queen; idratherbepainting; AZHSer; Sabertooth; Marine Inspector; A Navy Vet; ..

Border PING


2 posted on 02/16/2007 5:44:19 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat
"House Judiciary Committee approved a measure to ask voters to approve a law making it a state crime for someone who entered this country illegally to be anywhere in Arizona."

A common sense law to control crime. Can't imagine anyone being opposed to that.

3 posted on 02/16/2007 5:47:17 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

ummm.... LaRAZA, MeChA, ACLU,.......


4 posted on 02/16/2007 5:52:06 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: BenLurkin

Here in CA, half the state would be in prison.


5 posted on 02/16/2007 5:52:53 PM PST by RichRepublican (Some days you're the windshield--some days you're the bug.)
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To: SandRat
A must view
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4094926727128068265&q=roy+beck&hl=en

6 posted on 02/16/2007 5:54:14 PM PST by Wolverine (A Concerned Citizen)
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To: SandRat
I like my amnesty plan!
Please call them INVADERS and don't compare them to people who are legal aliens!
IF you aid and abet CRIMINALS, you are a criminal!

President Bush has been great on most things except for our border.
He has been great on the war on terrorists.
But on the border he is a gross failure.
He acted fast and correct on the 3,000+ people murdered at the world trade center.
He ignores the many rapes, murders and robberies which is much larger than the murders and money loss at the world trade center.
More Americans are abducted on the border of Mexico than in Iraq!

Start building the fence.
It should be made a felony for Criminals who overstay their visas and Invaders.

I believe we should give amnesty to these poor CRIMINALS or INVADERS.
This should be a 2 week amnesty to get the heck out of our Country.
The ones who ignore this amnesty should be buried in a tent city jail and fined $10,000 or buried elsewhere.
All aiders and abettors of these CRIMINALS or INVADERS should get 1 year in a tent city jail and a $10,000 fine for each CRIMINAL aided.
Those in government should be the first ones charged.
7 posted on 02/16/2007 5:54:16 PM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran ("Remember the Alamo, Goliad and WACO, It is Time for a new San Jacinto")
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To: SandRat
The feds had best understand that their inaction and/or vacillation is forcing states to take independent actions to curtail the damage caused by this invasion.

At present, the US government is on the side of the invaders and emboldening them to take ever more vocal and eventually violent steps to scare individuals, states, and cities away from defending themselves.

To that extent, the federal government is enabling steps toward civil war (to the extent that a 'civil war' can be waged by non-citizens allied with citizens-in-name-only against citizens-in-fact).

The USA needs to simply cease holding hands with mexico and advise the new president (potentially someone with enough chutzpa to do something) that ALL future cooperation and assistance is wholly dependent on getting their act together...then make it stick.

8 posted on 02/16/2007 5:54:51 PM PST by norton
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9 posted on 02/16/2007 6:38:55 PM PST by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
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To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm; ..

ping


10 posted on 02/17/2007 9:42:43 AM PST by gubamyster
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To: gubamyster
But repeat offenders could find themselves facing 2 1/2 years in state prison. And those arrested who also had illegal drugs or dangerous weapons would be subject to five years behind bars.

Whether they're roaming America or in prison, we'll be forced to support these bloodsuckers no matter what. Then the amnesty that's being shoved forcibly down our throats will solve the problem of the 15? million who are here already. Just what America doesn't need - more welfare recipients. That border will never be closed, and Mr. Bush knows it.

America says that your solution to this problem SUCKS, Mr. Bush!

11 posted on 02/17/2007 3:11:11 PM PST by janetgreen (DUNCAN HUNTER IN '08)
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To: potlatch

Good one!


12 posted on 02/17/2007 4:42:22 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: gubamyster

Bttt!


13 posted on 02/17/2007 4:42:56 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: devolve; TheLion

Thank you Lion!!


14 posted on 02/17/2007 4:44:18 PM PST by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
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To: potlatch


Roll 'em Roll 'em Roll 'em

Keep those fences Rollin'


15 posted on 02/17/2007 5:11:56 PM PST by devolve ( ........upload images free & fast at tinypic.com or Photobucket or Imagecave)
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To: devolve

Lol!


16 posted on 02/17/2007 5:16:31 PM PST by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
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