The Arizona Dilemma

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed a new immigration bill into law amidst protests and clashes at the state Capitol this past Friday. If nothing else Arizona has brought immediate and profound attention to the problem of illegal immigrants.

“We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act. But decades of inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation.”
~Governor Jan Brewer after signing the law

Some of those that vehemently oppose this legislation are Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democrat who is running for governor, Rabbi Maynard Bell the Arizona office of the American Jewish Committee’s area director, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, American Civil Liberties Union, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund a civil-rights group, and the police chiefs association. By the way, it is important to note that those opposed have offered up no valid solution to this overwhelming problem.

Let’s add Barack Obama to the list of those opposing this legislation. While quick to criticize he has done little to address the problem and done even less to stem the wave of illegal immigrants into the state of Arizona again offering up virtually no solutions. What part of illegal does the President not understand? Which law infraction do we turn a blind eye to next?

Is the point in Governor Brewer signing this bill into law to force the hand of the federal government to do something, anything in order to curb the influx of illegal immigrants pouring into this southwest corner of the United States and creating problems that are now out of control? Obama may not wake up in the state of Arizona every morning but he did receive a wake up call with the passing of this legislation. Maybe the President will choose to continue doing nothing about this problem in hopes that it will rally the hispanic vote in favor of the Democratic party while they demonize a Republican Governor’s decision. Is this the strategy and hope of the White House administration?

The push is on for Congressional leaders to take up immigration reform this year. After ramming through a contentious health care bill it’s going to be another hard sell to convince the American people a rushed immigration bill is in their best interest especially before the November elections.

Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070:

Click here to read the entire bill online

Click here for a fact sheet/summary of the bill