IMMIGRATION Arizona One Year Later Approximately one year ago, on April 23, 2010, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed SB-1070 into law. The bill required local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws, allowed U.S. citizens to sue those police officers they believe aren't doing so, and prohibited anyone from knowingly transporting an undocumented immigrant for any reason, among other things. The major provisions of SB-1070 have been enjoined by the courts. "By imposing mandatory obligations on state and local officers, Arizona interferes with the federal government’s authority to implement its priorities and strategies in law enforcement, turning Arizona officers into state-directed DHS agents," asserted the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. T he appeals court agreed with federal district court judge Susan Bolton who reasoned that the "United States is likely to suffer irreparable harm" in the absence of an injunction. Yet, even though most of the law has not gone into effect, the economic, political, and social consequences of SB-1070's passage have been profound.
ARIZONA TODAY: On the anniversary of the day that SB-1070 was signed into law, hundreds of people gathered in Phoenix to march in protest against the law. There were plenty of good reasons to do so. It has already been affirmed that SB-1070 is likely unconstitutional by two separate courts. The stated purpose of the law is attrition through enforcement -- a policy that aims to make life so miserable for undocumented immigrants that they leave. Although the courts blocked most of SB-1070, its chill factor remained. The East Valley Tribune confirms "people have left." School enrollment was down last fall. Many businesses that cater to the Latino population are empty. If Arizona was to actually succeed in driving out its undocumented population, it could eliminate 581,000 jobs for immigrant and native-born workers alike, shrink the state economy by $48.8 billion, and reduce state tax revenues by 10.1 percent. The boycott against Arizona that SB-1070 inspired cost the state's convention industry at least 4,236 jobs and $217 million and has cost $1.5 million in legal fees to defend. Despite all of these costs, Brewer and the bill's sponsor -- Senate President Russell Pearce (R) -- maintain that SB-1070 has been a wild success. "I've talked to a U-Haul dealer," Pearce stated. "He said business has never been better." SB-1070 has also been great for their political careers. Brewer went from lagging in the polls in April 2010 to winning by a landslide in November. Pearce transformed himself from an embarrassing sideshow to a conservative rock star. In February, Brewer announced that she is filing a countersuit against the federal government on behalf of the state of Arizona. The countersuit names several counts, including a "failure to protect Arizona from invasion."
COPYCATS: At the beginning of the year, 22 states were considering immigration laws similar to the one passed by Arizona. In spite of SB-1070's recent judicial setbacks, several states are still pressing on. The Alabama House and Senate have been reconciling bills that would give state and local police broad authority to check immigration status and are reportedly the " closest " it has ever been to passing an Arizona-style law. In April, the Georgia legislature became the first to pass a SB-1070 copycat law. It is currently sitting on Gov. Nathan Deal's (R-GA) desk, awaiting a possible signature. Last Wednesday, in a 37-8 vote, the Oklahoma state Senate approved an Arizona copycat bill that has already been passed by the House. In Florida, an estimated 600 demonstrators took to the streets last week to protest a set of immigration bill's which largely mirror Arizona's. Florida's copycat bill has been dying a slow death in the state legislature. An amendment that would have put in place a mandatory electronic employment verification system (E-Verify) was voted down yesterday and lawmakers now seem reluctant to approve the current bill before the legislative session ends on Friday. Meanwhile, the majority of the states considering copycat laws backed off long ago. For example, Kentucky's bill was voted down in March with legislators citing the budgetary issues related to the enormous cost to enforce the bill. A few weeks earlier, a fiscal-impact statement on the bill predicted that it would cost Kentucky $40 million a year in court, prison and foster-care costs.
UTAH'S APPROACH: "Last summer, it was a foregone conclusion that Utah was going to do exactly what Arizona had done," stated a spokesman for the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. Yet in March 2011, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) signed off on a bundle of four immigration bills which include proposals that were specifically introduced as proactive alternatives to Arizona’s harsh immigration law. One of the measures would allow undocumented immigrants who meet certain requirements to carry a state-issued guest worker permit. A separate bill would create a migrant worker partnership with Mexico. Another piece of approved legislation will allow Utahans to sponsor migrants wanting to work or study in the state. Herbert also signed into law a bill that has been described as a “watered down” version of SB-1070. "We're not Arizona," asserted Utah's Attorney General Mark Shurtleff (R). "Our police don't want to be ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents." Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Lamar Smith (R-TX) -- who happens to be one of the nation's most anti-immigrant lawmakers -- promptly demanded the Department of Justice (DOJ) sue Utah. Yesterday, DOJ Secretary Eric Holder told t he House Judiciary Committee that his department will not pursue a case against Utah this year because the law itself is not set to go into effect for another two years and "by 2013 we might be in a different place." Meanwhile, Utah's leaders delivered their own advice. Shurtleff stated, "It is your [Smith's] responsibility to do comprehensive immigration reform. What are you doing? Instead of wagging your finger at Utah when we’re actually trying to do something here." Herbert agreed. "Typical Washington-attempt to deflect criticism that comes from Washington's abject failure to address immigration, then sue a state over something that won’t even take effect for two yea rs, rather than use those two years to do something positive," he said.  "Let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11," President Obama urged in his Sunday night announcement of bin Laden's killing. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank writes, "Republicans answered Obama's plea for bonhomie — with broadsides," adding that the GOP's reaction demonstrates some "lawmakers are too preoccupied with their opponents to celebrate the demise of their common enemy." According to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, public support for President Obama has risen significantly following his successful order to track and kill Osama bin Laden. 57 percent of Americans approve of the president's job performance, up from 46 percent last month. The biggest boost in his ratings came from Republicans and independents. The White House reaffirmed its partnership with Pakistan yesterday in a move to "contain tensions it fears will jeopardize billions of aid" and a relationship "seen as vital in the fight" against al Qaeda and the Taliban. U.S. lawmakers, however, will review and "potentially suspend" the $1.5 billion in aid to Pakistan "if its government can't explain how" Osama bin Laden lived undetected for years near Pakistan's capital. The House Republican crusade to dismantle the Affordable Care Act advanced yesterday when the chamber voted to disrupt the flow of money to health insurance exchanges , an integral part of the law. The GOP bill would require the Health and Human Services Secretary to go through the annual budgeting process, instead of having funds automatically allocated. U.S. regulators have "found multiple safety violations at a West Virginia mine owned by Massey Energy Co. ," reporting the conditions were "nothing short of outrageous." "Despite the tragedy at Upper Big Branch last year…some still aren't getting it," said Joseph Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health at the Mine Safety & Health Administration. The Senate's Gang of Six is unlikely to reach an agreement before budget talks begin this week , as talks have stalled over several details in its plan. Senate Budget Chair and Gang of Six member Kent Conrad (D-ND) released his own plan, while the GOP has turned its focus to bipartisan meetings with Vice President Joe Biden. The White House will soon kick off a major initiative to reform corporate taxes, aides say. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will propose lowering the top corporate tax rate from 35 percent to less than 30 percent, and call for an end to tax loopholes and exemptions to pay for the change. A new report from the Department of Agriculture finds that one in seven Americans are now receiving food stamps. Mississippi and Oregon had the highest number of residents receiving food stamps with one in five people in both being beneficiaries. The Obama administration is urging Congress to pass immigration reform but will refrain from crafting its own proposal. Administration officials said that, in lieu of a plan, they will launch "a very serious and very vigorous" campaign to spur lawmakers to action because "Congress is going to have to step up to the table and work with us to get done and get done on a bipartisan basis." And finally: A number of people in Hollywood are scrambling to change the ending of movies about hunting Osama bin Laden , Politico reports. For instance, "The Heart Locker" director Kathryn Bigelow is working on a film called "Kill Bin Laden" that may need a name change and "major work" if it is to include Bin Laden's real life demise. Meanwhile, Jack Bauer -- or at least Kiefer Sutherland, the actor who played him on "24" -- tweeted yesterday that "the world is a safer place" after the death of Bin Laden. |
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 "There are no special subsidies or tax breaks for oil companies, period."
-- Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), 04/2011
VERSUS
"[Oil subsidies amount to] about $45 billion over the next ten years."
-- CAP analysis, 5/13/10
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