Posted on 04/18/2006 10:18:22 AM PDT by BradtotheBone
Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed a bill that would have criminalized the presence of illegal immigrants in Arizona, citing opposition from police agencies that want immigration arrests to remain the responsibility of the federal government.
The proposal would have expanded the state's trespassing law to let local authorities arrest illegal immigrants anywhere in Arizona, the nation's busiest illegal entry point. Congress also had considered criminalizing the presence of illegal immigrants in the country.
In a letter to lawmakers, Napolitano said she opposes automatically turning all immigrants who sneaked into the state into criminals and that the bill provided no funding for the new duties.
"It is unfortunate that the Legislature has once again ignored the officials who are most directly affected by illegal immigration and instead has passed yet another bill that will have no effect on the problem but that will impose an unfunded burden on law enforcement," Napolitano wrote Monday.
Supporters said the bill would have given Arizona a chance to get a handle on its vast border problems by providing a second layer of enforcement to catch the tens of thousands of immigrants who slip past federal agents each year.
Republican Sen. Barbara Leff of Paradise Valley, who proposed the bill, said the governor has painted herself as tough on illegal immigration by declaring a state of emergency at Arizona's border, but has taken little action to back up her rhetoric.
"I don't think the governor wants to do anything about this problem," Leff said. She said the bill would have been a means to detain illegal immigrants until federal agents can pick them up.
The Democratic governor, accused by her Republican critics of being soft on immigration, has vetoed other immigration bills from the GOP- majority Legislature within the past year, including a proposal to give police the power to enforce federal immigration laws.
While immigrants provide the economy with cheap labor, Arizona spends tens of millions of dollars each year in health care and education costs for illegal workers and their families. An estimated 500,000 of the state's population of about 6 million are illegal immigrants.
"The Democratic governor, accused by her Republican critics of being soft on immigration, has vetoed other immigration bills from the GOP- majority Legislature within the past year, including a proposal to give police the power to enforce federal immigration laws".
Well scratch Arizona from retirement options.
Yeah like when we had a huge forest fire a couple years ago... President Bush came out to survey the damage like he does for all other natural disasters... where was Janet?? Rafting down the Colorado river, the libs like to carp on Bush and his vacations, but she could not take a day out of hers to do her job!
He also charges them for being in jail (read tent city)... just like a hotel I think I heard like $20 a day...
OVERRIDE the gov what the hell matey!
You forgot that at the same time was the gas shortage that she was to busy vacationing to come back for (same vacation). "It's a problem. Not a crisis." Then, a day later she said she had been upset to *see* all the long lines. Of course, she never stood in one.
She's done so much in her four years in office. Should we start a list? Ramming through the name change of Piestewa Peak, alienating homeschoolers by no long declaring Homeschool Day, because it might upset her "shareholders"(a tradition that Symington started in '94, but ended when Janet came into office), forcing through full day kindergarten, lying to the legislature to get them to pass her full day kindergarten proposal, the gas incident, trying to stop Proposition 200, endorsing these illegal alien marches (just not on school time), snubbing the president because she was "too busy" (her classic excuse for everything), racking up millions in state fines because she rejected every English language proposal the legislature came up with (although the local Rag will make it look like it was the legislature that was stubborn), taking credit for every good idea -- even if she was originally against it. What else?
Is that all she's done? Well that isn't so bad....for a democrat./sarc
Ohhhh, she plain just sucks. I'd like to say how I really feel about her, but I'm afraid I'll get banned for it. Words really can't describe the anxst I feel over this, this...thing that calls herself a woman and governor. Ugh!!!
IS THERE A RECALL PROVISION IN ARIZONA....SHOULD BE. GET RID OF HER!!!!!
"By your post, an employer of illegals is like a mafia boss and the illegal is like a hitman."
What part of breaking the law do you not understand?
When an employer hires one or more illegal aliens, the employer is breaking the law.
The laws in this country are not just that there are legal and illegal ways to enter this country. There are also legal and illegal ways to hire someone. You are for the employers that break the law.
Have any of these so called public servents visited downtown Chandler in the mornings?
I doubt it. The extra labor keeps the prevailing wage down. And the employer isn't providing health benefits.
This is why it's so important that if we get an immigration bill it is as close as possible to the security and illegal/legal focused House bill as possible. We can't forget that illegal immigration is against the law.
Read the article again. The repubs did pass a bill that punishes businesses. Our democRAT governor vetoed it.
Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed a bill proving once and for all that she is all hat and no cattle.
Is she related to Andrew?
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