Texas GOP Passes Immigration Plank Similar to Arizona Law

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Quoted from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/13/convention-texas-gop-passes-immigration-plank-similar-arizona-law/

FOXNews.com - At Convention, Texas GOP Passes Immigration Plank Similar to Arizona Law


- Associated Press, June 13, 2010

Republican delegates at the state party convention bucked Gov. Rick Perry's opposition to Arizona's immigration law and voted Saturday for a platform plank advocating a law that would bar illegal immigrants from living in Texas and allows local police to verify U.S. residency.

Fired-up Republican activists in no mood for compromises threw out their party chairwoman Saturday, then bucked Texas Gov. Rick Perry by pushing for a crackdown on illegal immigration similar to Arizona's new law.

Some delegates at the Republican state convention also called for a nonbinding resolution calling on House Republicans to oust their own speaker, Rep. Joe Straus of San Antonio, considered too moderate for many of the bedrock conservatives meeting in Dallas this weekend. Convention organizers ruled the Straus resolution out of order.

While the convention began Friday with scripted unity and Democrat-bashing speeches, its final hours were marked by division and heated debates over GOP policy priorities.

In a sometimes chaotic and raucous roll-call vote, delegates overwhelmingly decided to ditch their firebrand leader, conservative activist Cathie Adams, in favor of Houston businessman Steve Munisteri. Munisteri had focused his campaign on the party's $500,000 debt, saying Republicans should be in better financial shape since they control both houses of the Legislature and all statewide offices.

The immigration proposal, a hard-line approach that Perry has said isn't right for Texas, was one of several initiatives debated as delegates wrapped up the two-day convention. The Republican Party platform is a blueprint of the policies that GOP activists want elected officials to pursue.

Delegates voted to include a plank advocating for a state law that would bar illegal immigrants from "intentionally or knowingly" living in Texas. Similar to Arizona's strict law that has sparked nationwide debate, the proposal would require local police to verify U.S. residency when making arrests.

Perry has said the Arizona law, if adopted in Texas, would unduly burden police.

Another potentially controversial plank advocates an "open carry" law, which would allow residents to openly carry firearms in public without a concealed weapons permit.

The convention brought more than 8,000 delegates to Dallas to debate the party platform, select party leaders, train volunteers and adopt rules to guide the nomination process.

Held every other year, it's mostly designed as a giant pep rally to fire up Republicans ahead of the November elections. The choreographed convention began with prayers, video tributes and speeches by top Republican leaders, including Perry.

On Saturday, the main guest speaker, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, told delegates that the stakes in the 2010 elections were "higher than any midterm election in my lifetime." Barbour urged activists to focus their ire not on each other but on the Democrats who had engineered the "biggest lurch to the left in American history."

Barbour warned the delegates not to engage in divisive internal battles or demand a "purity" test of Republican leaders who may not agree with them on every single issue.

"We cannot forget unity because some people will let purity be the enemy of unity," Barbour said. "It's a big party and we need everybody who is on our side."

That didn't stop conservatives from criticizing their moderate speaker.

A resolution circulating on the floor of the Dallas Convention Center called for Republicans to "remove and replace" Straus, who came to power in 2009 with the help of House Democrats. Straus spokeswoman Tracy Young said the speaker remained focused on increasing the House Republican majority. He had no comment on the resolution, she said.

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CA Teachers Take Kids on a Protest Trip to Arizona

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FOXNews.com - June 10, 2010
- by Jana Winter

With Revolutionaries 'Looking On,' Teachers Take Kids on a Protest Trip to Arizona

Standing in front of a wall-to-wall mural featuring a who's who of revolutionaries, including Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, and boldly displaying the motto Patria o Muerte, Venceremos!!! (Fatherland or Death, We Shall Overcome!!!), a group of teachers, students, parents and community activists in the Los Angeles Unified School District gathered last month for an unusual field trip — to Arizona, to protest that state's controversial immigration law.

A video posted on YouTube shows LA social studies teacher Jose Lara interviewing teachers and students on May 28 at the headquarters of an organization calling for a Mexican revolution on U.S. soil. Soon after he shot the video, many in the group left for an overnight "freedom ride" to Phoenix to protest what Lara tells the camera is a "racist and outrageous" law.

Four days later, the school board president implored the superintendent of schools to ensure that students in the district be taught that Arizona's law is "un-American" and Jim Crow-like. The law, passed in April, empowers law enforcement officials to question the immigration status of people they think may be in the country illegally.

Lara, who made the video, teaches at the Unified School District's Santee Education Complex with Ron Gochez, another social studies teacher who came under fire last month after he was identified making incendiary remarks in a widely circulated YouTube video that shows him speaking at a 2007 rally for La Raza, a revolutionary group calling for Mexican revolt inside the United States.

In that video, Gochez referred to Americans as "frail, racist, white people, and to California as "stolen, occupied Mexico." The video's posting led to a groundswell of anger and a flood of calls for Gochez's firing, but a school district investigation found him fit to continue teaching history to public school students.

Both Lara and Gochez are active in numerous revolutionary groups, including Union Del Barrio, a La Raza organization that Gochez helped establish across the street from Santee High School.

In the video shot before the trip to Arizona, students, teachers and others are seen gathered at the Union Del Barrio meeting hall and cultural center in Los Angeles, called Centro Cultural Francisco Villa — a nod to one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution — where wall murals picture revolutionary leaders — including Ho Chi Minh — holding machine guns.

Beside portraits of the revolutionaries is a hand-painted rendering of the famous and long-living revolutionary motto: Patrio o Muerte, Venceremos!!! Popularized by Fidel Castro during the Cuban Revolution, it’s been used by Latin American leaders including Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Evo Morales of Bolivia, who declared it the official motto of his nation's army three months ago.

Gochez confirmed to FoxNews.com that he participated in the caravan to Arizona, though he does not appear in Lara’s video blog entry. Gochez did, however, give numerous on-camera interviews to local news outlets from Centro Cultural Francisco Villa that same night.

In his video, Lara asks a North Hollywood High School student named Susana why she's heading to Arizona.

"Even though we're — I don’t even know how miles away — we're there, we're there for la gente, we're there to help every Latino who's being accused for being immigrants," Susana says. "We have the power to make a lot of change."

Toward the end of the video, Lara introduces another LAUSD teacher, Clare Martinet of Garfield High School.

"I'm getting on the bus because, I think, that the laws are such a threat to all of us," she says. "I'm getting on the bus for all the people that can't get on the bus — for my students and parents of my students ... I'm here with them in solidarity."

School district spokesman Robert Alaniz declined to comment.

The teachers who accompanied students to Phoenix are no strangers to political activism and controversial speech. Gochez has organized against immigration law enforcement raids and held anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement meetings at his public high school. Lara has worked to secure scholarships and student loans for high school students who are in the U.S. illegally.

Lara and Martinet did not respond to e-mail requests for comment.

FoxNews.com has also uncovered e-mails sent by Martinet to a Progressive Educators discussion group that reveal her involvement in a May 16 march to protest Arizona's immigration law and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who gave a commencement speech that day at Pomona College.

In an e-mail to the group on March 15, Martinet listed the demands of the next day's "March and Rally to DHS Secretary Napolitano's Speech at the Pomona College."

She wrote:

"Demands:
1. To Stop the Criminalization of Immigrant Families!
2. No More Deportations and Raids!
3. Stop Using Police to Enforce Immigration Laws!
4. Stop Arizona Now!
5. Pass a Just/Humane Immigration Reform Now!"

The day after the march, Martinet wrote an e-mail directing the group to "a nationwide call for people to converge on Phoenix, Arizona, on May 29 for a National Day of Action."

Three days after the teachers and students caravanned to Phoenix to protest the immigration law, the Los Angeles school district board passed a resolution opposing it. The board said the district would look into curtailing district travel to the district and business with any Arizona-based companies. The school board president called on the superintendent to ensure that students throughout the district are taught that the immigration law is "un-American."

Hours after that June 1 school board meeting, Lara posted on his Facebook wall a link to an article titled,

"LAUSD board condemns Arizona Immigration law," along with the comment, "I know what I am teaching tomorrow in class!!!!"

Others weren't so sure. A Facebook user named Anne responded, "LAUSD CLEAN UP YOUR OWN HOUSE FIRST!" and another, Lou De Pace, a longtime LAUSD educator who's now retired, wrote, "amazing CA is going to hell in a handbag that is empty and we worry about AZ."

De Pace still sits on a teachers' union committee and is involved in national education and student activist causes. He said the student-teacher field trip was another example of the district focusing on other people’s issues while avoiding their own.

"I think it's ridiculous. There's so many more important things — like oversized classrooms, that's one of the biggest problems in the district," De Pace said. "I don't understand what their priorities are.... What message are we sending our kids, help everyone else other than yourself?"

"Clean your house up so you don't live in glass house that people can throw stones at it."
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Spontaneous Veteran at Teaparty stuns us all -

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Oh man, did this make me cry. Praise God - Praise Jesus. It doesn't matter what anyone from the Left says. This is Truth, This is Good, This is God. And even if those that hate us ...take our Country by deception, win the elections and change the Constitution ... it will only be for a season. They can not take God away from us, and we will always be Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. We will never stop fighting, we will never submit. In the end - Truth, God, and Love will prevail.

Lord, in the Name of Jesus, Please Bless this man, this veteran, and his entire family


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ACLU Files Challenge to Arizona Law

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New Challenge to Arizona Immigration Law

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/06/05/new-challenge-to-arizona-immigration-law/ In Border Security

The timetable for federal court action on Arizona's controversial new immigration law picked up considerably Friday as opponents of the measure are now asking a federal judge to issue an injunction stopping the law from taking effect as scheduled.

Arizona officials are supposed to begin enforcing the law July 29 but the new court filing argues the law's start date should be delayed until the underlying legal challenge attacking the "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act" is resolved.

The injunction request comes from the ACLU and a handful of civil rights groups who are also challenging the law. Their filing means a federal judge will be required to make a legal assessment on the controversial law this summer.

In their 44 page filing [1], the plaintiffs call the law an "unprecedented attempt by a single state to regulate immigration" and "a brazen and improper usurpation of the federal government's constitutional role in immigration regulation." Of greater importance to their injunction request, the groups argue the law, if it takes effect on July 29, will cause irreparable harm and will immediately cause their members to change their lives "out of fear that they will be subject to unlawful questioning, arrest, or detention."

The judge will have to determine the veracity of these claims and conclude that the law will cause immediate and irrevocable harm. An injunction order, rare but not unprecedented, would also likely include analysis that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail on their underlying lawsuit.

There was no immediate response from Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's office to the new legal action.

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Article printed from Liveshots: http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com


URL to article: http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/06/05/new-challenge-to-arizona-immigration-law/

Huge Rally in Pheonix Supports Arizona Law

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Hundreds rally in Phoenix heat to support new illegal immigration law
June 05, 2010 20:44 EDT

PHOENIX (AP) -- Hundreds of people who support Arizona's new immigration law have been rallying near the state Capitol, where the heat may have put a damper on turnout.

Demonstrators sweated in temperatures reaching as high as 107 degrees. Some shaded themselves with umbrellas and clamored to buy cold water and ice cream from vendors.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio , perhaps best known for his efforts targeting illegal immigrants, drew loud chants of "Joe, Joe, Joe!" from the crowd.

Arpaio praised lawmakers for passing the law and reiterated that he'll lock up as many illegal immigrants as his deputies can arrest. He told the crowd: "We'll put tents from here to Mexico."

The law goes into effect July 29 unless blocked by a court. Critics have said the law will invite racial profiling, while supporters have said it will help fight illegal immigration.

_____________________________________

Hundreds rally in Phoenix heat to support Arizona's new illegal immigration law

By MICHELLE PRICE , Associated Press

Last update: June 5, 2010 - 9:31 PM

PHOENIX - Hundreds of people supporting Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigration rallied near the state Capitol on Saturday afternoon in soaring temperatures.

Hundreds of motorcycle riders kicked off the downtown Phoenix rally by riding in a procession around the Capitol. Supporters waved American flags and some carried signs that read "What part of illegal don't they
understand?"

The rally's turnout fell far short of the march organized by opponents of the law last weekend, when an estimated 20,000 people gathered.

Demonstrators on Saturday sweated as temperatures reached 105 degrees. Some shaded themselves with umbrellas and clamored to buy cold water and ice cream from vendors.

"For them to come here when it's over 100 degrees and stand in the heat — it's awesome," said 32-year-old Stephanie Colbert of Glendale.

Colbert, who works in a restaurant, said those who disagree with the law and boycott Arizona are misguided because they hurt the immigrant community they aim to support.

"The hospitality industry has a very large population of immigrants, legal and illegal," she said. "It's those people's jobs that are in jeopardy."

Colbert and her mother, 53-year-old Pattie Sheahan of Phoenix, said they strongly support the new law, which requires police conducting traffic stops or questioning people about possible legal violations to ask about their immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" they're in the country illegally.

"Everybody needs to obey the same laws," Sheahan said. "If you want to come here, there's ways to do it. Do it the right way."

The law, which goes into effect July 29, will also make it a state crime to be in the country illegally or to impede traffic while hiring day laborers, regardless of the worker's immigration status. It would become a crime
________________________________________

Arizona immigration law supporters gather for rally

by Connie Sexton, Ofelia Madrid and Dustin Gardiner - Jun. 5, 2010 04:50 PM
The Arizona Republic

Saturday's rally in support of Arizona's new immigration law is looking much like a pre-Independence Day celebration. The "Phoenix Rising" event is off to an early start at Wesley Bolin Plaza, with hundreds already gathering before the expected 3 to 6 p.m. slate of speakers.

The dress for the day seems to be red, white and blue with accessories being the American flag. It was what Rita Bonilla had chosen. The Las Vegas retiree was cheerfully chatting with other early birds a little before
noon as people milled around booths selling buttons, T-shirts, bags and other items, many carrying words in support of Senate Bill 1070.

Today's rally at the plaza, 1700 W. Washington St., kicked off on time with a group of motorcycle riders taking a lap around the Capitol complex. Arizona Capitol Police say no street closures are planned.

Today's speakers are to include immigration-bill sponsor Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., was one of the first to speak and said he could tell the value of the new anti-immigration law by the amount of hysteria from opponents.

"Judging by that, this is the best damn bill that's been passed in the United States of America,'' Tancredo said. "I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart because it got America to pay attention to this issue.''

Another speaker, Al Garza, is president of the Patriot's Coalition in Arizona, a group whose mission is to "challenge the government's ambiguity on open border policies.'' He said he moved to Arizona from
California seven years ago but said he found the rule of law not important here.

"We're all Americans of all colors,'' he said. "We salute the flag. Mexico, you know what? Go back if you don't like it here.''

For Bonilla, it's a controversial issue that has divided her family. "I'm of Mexican nationality," she said "I support SB 1070 because it's gotten to the point that it's not immigration anymore, it's invasion."

She was born in the United States and said other family members are against the bill and the division has led to a break down in communication.

"But I am not anti-Hispanic," she said. "I am Hispanic. I speak fluent Spanish and I'm proud to be in this country."

Fellow Las Vegas residents Sue and Rodney Heiselman came to the rally, knowing that the day would be toasty. "It's a sacrifice we're willing to make to support our country," Sue said. "And we're willing to spend money."

And that's an extra effort, the Heiselmans said because Rodney has been out of work in construction for a year. "We'll spend what we have left," he said and smiled.

Today's rally may draw 10,000 to 15,000 participants, including people from outside the state, said  organizer Daniel Smeriglio, head of the Pennsylvania-based Voice of the People USA, which opposes illegal
immigration.

But the day's heat could keep some people at home. The high today is expected to be 107 degrees. At about 3 p.m., it was 105. Phoenix Fire officials said they had responded to at least one heat-related call at the plaza, so far.

He said the rally will call for enforcement of immigration laws and support for Arizona businesses, as well as attempt to get the attention of politicians.

About 500 or so people who were there by 3 p.m. represented several states, including Texas, Kentucky, Ohio and Utah.

Smeriglio said the rally will call for enforcement of immigration laws and support for Arizona businesses, as well as attempt to get the attention of politicians.

"The elected officials work for us," he said. "We have to make them hear our voices. These mass demonstrations are a way to do so."

Arizona's immigration law makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It states that an officer engaged in a lawful stop, detention or arrest shall, when practicable, ask about a person's legal status when
reasonable suspicion exists that the person is in the U.S. illegally.

Republic reporter Glen Creno contributed to this article.
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Pakistani caught crossing border into Arizona

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From KVOA News4, Tuscon, Arizona, - 6/3/2010 at 4:21 pm :

TUCSON - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials confirm with News4, a Pakistani citizen crossed the border illegally from Mexico into Arizona on May 20th.

ICE says the man was apprehended by Border Patrol on the Tohono O'odham reservation and turned over to ICE.

Fox Nation also posted the same two sentences - there is no date or time, but the first commenter appears to have posted Friday, June 04, 2010 at 09:46 am

SO - Why, with all the leftist accusations of racism, DC Bureaucrats refusing to enforce federal law, and liberal city governments threatening boycotts, are we not hearing more about this? 

One commenter on Fox Nation asks some very interesting questions -

MINDY! posted Saturday, June 05, 2010 at 03:36 am;

"Where is this guy now?....what's the story?......why didn't anyone know about this for two weeks?.......Did ICE let him go after they fingerprinted him and took his picture?......they did take his picture didn't they?....Who interviewed this guy, and when did this terrorist get his Miranda rights?.......Why didn't we hear from the DHS Sec how safe our border is?........Someone really needs to look into this HOLDER>>>> NAPOLITANO!!!!!!and then come up with some convincing line of bullship to tell the people who have been screaming to close and protect our borders

I agree with Mindy.  President Obama - Does it not matter to your administration how upset the majority of the American public are becoming?  Is your administration really this blind to reality?

Why has there been no attention to the fact that, yes - an unsecured border could be a threat to our security? Why are so many on the left reticent to admit there might be a problem, and continue to insist that there is no need for border control?

Another commenter had this to say -

Louisianimal posted Saturday, June 05, 2010 at 02:48 PM;

This incident and the recent Mexican drug cartel wanting to blow up the dam in TX and the knowledge that Somalii terrorists are crossing into TX should be enough to demand the Feds to SECURE OUR BORDER . How could Homeland Security advise Texans to be on the lookout for Somali terrorists and at the same time tell Americans that the borders are as safe as they've ever been? Janet Napolitano should be fired. She is a traitor to Governor Brewer and all Americans. Not to mention the 12 million illegals allowed to wander on in. I say let's reform our immigration laws to mirror Mexico's. We also have John Brennan (counterterrorism) telling us there are no 'jihadists or Islamic radicals". How safe are we?

FURTHER - given the fact that several Arizona tribes have raised their voices against immigration law, claiming to be the true owners of the land and threatening bloodshed, I would like to know what this man was doing on the Tohono O'odham Reservation.

At this point, the left's argument that there is no need for Arizona's law is not only ludicrous, it's aiding criminals and potential terrorists.
 
I have no idea what we can do about it - other than come out full force in November and put Congressional politicians back in their place - their home state, with no further power or opportunity to hurt our us or country.
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Brewer to Obama: Come to Arizona (June 4)

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In an email to supporters, June 4th, 2010, 5:05 pm, Governor Brewer wrote:

In my meeting with President Obama yesterday, I personally invited him to visit Arizona and see our open borders for himself. Only then might he understand that border security is the mandatory first step in any real effort to battle illegal immigration.

Unfortunately, the President declined to commit to a personal visit.

He also declined my request to increase the National Guard commitment, did not commit to build and extend the fence, and refused to pay the federal obligations for incarceration expenses - over $750 million just since 2003.

While the meeting was cordial and respectful, and I appreciate the opportunity to share the deep concerns of our citizens, a continued lack of action is devastating to Arizona. Washington’s continued reluctance to secure our border - with no political strings attached - only suggests the possibility of further violence, failures and delay. No more political two-steps! Now is the time to simply and honestly secure our international border.

It is my hope that the President has a change of heart and takes the time to personally meet in Arizona with our hard-working border enforcement agents, local law enforcement, border-region ranchers, and others who are confronted daily with Arizona’s border crisis and see for himself their problems and their justifiable fears. Until operational control of the border by the federal government is achieved, Arizonans and indeed our nation remain at risk.

Following our meeting today, I’m encouraged that there may be a new and more open willingness for direct dialogue between the federal government and Arizona. However, as I have said before, illegal immigration will not be solved by the promises that have been made, but rather, by the tangible results on the ground.

The President should see for himself how a lack of enforcement has turned Arizona into the superhighway of illegal drug and human smuggling activity. My invitation to come to Arizona remains open.
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Gov. Brewer to Sen Schumer, June 3, 2010 -

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Brewer to Senator Schumer: Secure the Border First

While in Washington this week, Governor Jan Brewer responded to Senator Charles Schumer’s letter calling for a delay in implementation of Arizona’s new immigration law. Brewer rejected the lip-service paid to “comprehensive immigration reform” and reiterated her demand to secure the border.

Washington lacks credibility on immigration issues and the only way to build credibility is for the government to do something immediately to address border security and restore interior enforcement. To that point, Governor Brewer proposed a four point federal Border “Surge” strategy.

Governor Brewer responds to Senator Schumer's letter
June 3, 2010

The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
Chairman
Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Refugees
United States Senate
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Re: Correspondence on Border Security

Dear Senator Schumer:

I appreciate your interest in helping us secure our border and recognizing my duty as Governor to address the public security concerns of Arizonans.

Arizona's border regions, extending into metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson, have become increasingly lawless because the federal government has not effectively controlled our international border and enforced its immigration laws. The federal government's policy of securing the border in the El Paso and San Diego areas has turned Arizona into the superhighway of illegal drug and human smuggling activity. The City of Phoenix has earned the dubious distinction of being the kidnapping capital of the United States, ranking only second behind Mexico City in the world. Busts of drop houses, where illegal immigrants are often held for ransom and otherwise severely abused, are not uncommon occurrences in some Arizona neighborhoods.

Given these circumstances, I am sure you can understand that waiting a year or more based on another federal promise of getting serious this time is not an option for Arizona. As has been said here, calling for comprehensive immigration reform before securing the border is like asking for comprehensive energy policy reform before stopping the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

Here is my diagnosis of the problem and the way forward. Congress and successive Administrations (both Republican and Democrat) have lost all credibility with the American people, and Arizonans in particular, regarding border security and interior enforcement of federal immigration laws.

Unfortunately, I understand that the consensus in Washington D.C. is that nothing will be done legislatively on immigration this year and any promises of action for the rest of the year are part of some national political strategy. Neither side of the immigration debate will be fooled by that strategy. This non-action will only build the sense of alienation that Americans feel toward a federal government that won’t solve problems that affect their everyday lives. It will be more of the same “promise something, do nothing, blame someone” political spin from Washington.

How do you build credibility on immigration issues? You need to show that the federal government can do something immediately to address border security and restore interior enforcement. We do not need new federal laws, but rather action by President Obama and sufficient funding from the Congress to secure the border and enforce our current laws.

The action taken must also be significant. To that end, I would propose that the federal government adopt a “surge” strategy. The Border Surge would continue until the border is secured as demonstrated by facts on the ground and integrity is restored to our interior immigration enforcement. Thereafter, the federal government would need to keep the resources necessary on the ground to maintain a secure border and enforce its immigration laws.

What would the federal Border Surge consist of? A good place to start would be the Border Security Plan that I announced in April and the multiple requests I have sent to President Obama and his administration regarding specific, immediate actions that should be taken. I have attached those for your review.

In addition, I ask you to give another look at the ten-point border security proposal by Senators McCain and Kyl. It is based, in part, on the border security plan of the Arizona Cattlemen’s Association developed in reaction to their everyday experiences of living and working on the border and in tribute to their fellow member, the late Robert Krentz, who was killed on his ranch earlier this year.

In summary, I would highlight the following four categories of actions that would prove very helpful to the State of Arizona in the proposed Border Surge:

1. Send the National Guard troops back to the border and increase the number of Border Patrol agents. The bi-partisan group of border governors requested the redeployment of the National Guard over a year ago. Then-Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano believed the National Guard was very helpful on the border under Operation Jump Start and unsuccessfully fought the Bush Administration when they were removed. Border governors renewed their joint request in April of this year. A particular need that has been identified is for more aerial support. My border security plan announced last month has redeployed Arizona’s very limited aerial resources to the border regions, and I have asked for additional support. I am happy to hear the President recently recognize that our border challenges require a National Guard response. However, I am not satisfied with the lack of specifics in his proposal. I hope to hear more when I meet with him today.

2. Complete a real border fence. The President's proposed budget provides no funds for completion of the border fence. Arizona's problem was caused in large part by the federal strategy of building a border fence only in the El Paso and San Diego areas in the 1990s. The construction and continual repair of a secure, and complete, border fence has to be part of the solution. The State of Arizona stands ready to assist in this effort. We have state prisons near the border and will supply inmate labor to build these fences in a cost-effective manner.

3. Fund federal agencies to be able to enforce current immigration laws. The McCain-Kyl Plan has a whole series of proposals to increase resources to under-manned and under-coordinated federal agencies. These proposals include funding additional Border Patrol stations in the Tucson Sector, increasing aerial assets along the border, and improving real-time radio/electronic communications capability among the different federal agencies and with state and local law enforcement agencies. Congress should also ensure adequate funding is appropriated to meet detention, processing, prosecution and other costs that result from a legitimate commitment to securing the border and enforcing federal immigration laws.

4. Reimburse Border States for costs related to the federal government’s failure to secure the border. For example, Congress has failed to reimburse the States and localities for their costs of incarcerating criminal aliens under the existing State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. The State of Arizona and localities spend upwards of $150 million per year for criminal aliens in our prisons and jails. Another example is the burden on our county sheriffs dealing with all this drug and human smuggling activity. The federal government should fully fund the existing Operation Stonegarden, a program that provides funding to border law enforcement agencies. Senators McCain and Kyl have proposed increasing federal funding by $40 million for a total of $100 million.

As you know, problems do not wait for when it is politically convenient to address them. When I assumed office over a year ago, Arizona faced the worst budget deficit in the nation on a per capita basis. I proposed, and the Arizona Legislature passed, a budget that made many painful cuts. The State of Arizona has reduced its workforce by over 10 percent and cut over $2 billion out of roughly a $10 billion budget. State employees, including myself, are taking a 5% pay cut to balance the state budget. And on May 18, Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved increasing the state sales tax by 1% for three years to support education, public safety and heath needs.

Arizonans, and I believe all Americans, expect their leaders to make the tough calls whether on the budget or on securing our border. If the federal government won’t secure the border, the State of Arizona will step in to complement federal efforts in a constitutional manner and protect the security of its citizens.

I believe the Border Surge strategy is the only way forward. Everyone agrees that our border is broken. Let’s do something. I sincerely desire to work with the Arizona delegation, you and your colleagues in Congress and the Obama administration on this strategy.

Sincerely,

Janice K. Brewer
Governor

Enclosures

cc: Arizona Congressional Delegation
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