AZ Gov. Vetoes Another Immigration Bill

[Bobbieo]

PHOENIX – Governor Janet Napolitano (D-Ariz.) today vetoed another attempt by the Republican led legislature to pass a so-called immigration bill, which would have granted amnesty to employers who hire undocumented workers.

“Evidently Republicans think the way to deal with our illegal immigration problem is to encourage more employers to hire more undocumented workers” said Arizona Democratic Party Chairman David Waid. “They’ve got it exactly backwards. We need to discourage employers from hiring undocumented workers, not grant them amnesty when they’re caught doing so.”

House Bill 2577 would have provided amnesty for employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers. Under the bill, an offending employer could avoid penalty by complying with a cease and desist letter and firing undocumented workers. http://www.governor.state.az.us/dms/upload/06-06-06%20HB%202577%20Veto%20Letter_v2.pdf>

Fearing the legislation, “would significantly erode the public safety of our communities,” today’s Arizona Daily Star argued, “This immigration bill must be vetoed.” Specifically, the Star argued, “HB 2577 would absorb resources that otherwise could be directly allocated to existing justice and law enforcement throughout the state. For these reasons, the sheriffs and county attorneys urge the governor to veto this bill.
Much has been made of the governor's veto record of late. HB 2577 is a bad bill that deserves to become part of her veto tally.”
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/132260>

On Friday, the Arizona Republic called the bill, “26 pages of problems.” Specifically, the Republic argued, “Immigration is a hot issue, and Republicans are trying to get leverage by threatening to take their immigration plan to the voters if they can't get it past the governor. Napolitano should veto this costly, ineffective, misguided proposal. Republicans should drop a bill that would cost Arizonans a bundle, divert precious local resources and make little progress in solving this national problem. What part of ‘federal’ don't they understand?”
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0602fri1-02.html>



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[skipos]

1. “They’ve got it exactly backwards."

"We need to discourage employers from hiring undocumented workers, not grant them amnesty when they’re caught doing so.”

I agree. We should spend more energy cracking down in the businesses that hire illegals.

[muntrv]

2. Pardon my ignorance but

I thought the Arizona Republicans were more about building a fence along the border than pleasing business in the immigration debate.

[Terran1212]

3. Republicans generally want to do both

: (

[Bobbieo]

5. It is the U.S. employer

in search of cheap labor who is to blame for the current immigration problem.

[Miss Chybil]

4. The fence thing is a ruse.

Just like gay marriage and abortion.