AP: (AZ) Lawmaker: Trespassing bill too harsh for some illegal immigrants

[Eugene]

Lawmaker: Trespassing bill too harsh for some illegal immigrants

By Paul Davenport, Associated Press Writer | April 10, 2006

PHOENIX --Legislators are moving to relax the penalties in a bill that would apply the state's
trespassing law to illegal immigrants. One prominent lawmaker says the proposed law needs to be
softened because it would be unfair and unrealistic to expect to jail those who have been in this
country for years.

<snip>

Strict enforcement of the measure, if it were to become law, would lead to troubling situations
where officials are faced with children who were born here legally to illegal immigrant parents,
Tully said. "Do you send Mom back?"

<snip>

Under the bill introduced by Republican Sen. Barbara Leff and 25 other Republican legislators,
an illegal immigrant anywhere in Arizona would be guilty of a felony. The bill would allow law
enforcement authorities to either prosecute the person or turn him or her over to a federal
agency for deportation.

However, Leff said she's agreed to soften the penalties at Tully's urging to broaden support
for the bill, which barely cleared the House. A first-time offense would be a misdemeanor and
the class of felony for subsequent violations would be lower than previously proposed.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2006/04/10/lawmaker_trespassing_bill_too_harsh_for_some_illegal_immigrants

[Erika]

1. We keep their kids born here and deport the family?

We split up families? We give their kids to rich white republicans?

Or what? None of these concerns have been addressed.

[DBoon]

2. As though the US has never split up families before

in the search for a compliant, subserviant, ill-treated workforce?

[Erika]

3. How true n/t