Arizona Legislature
1700 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 85007-2844
Senate President Ken Bennett (R-1)
602-926-5584
House Speaker Jim Weiers (R-10)
602-926-4173
June 6, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **REVISED
to add quote**
Governor Again Obstructs Efforts to Combat
Illegal Immigration
(Vetoes Comprehensive Border Enforcement Bill)
(State Capitol, Arizona) – Governor Janet Napolitano
has vetoed the nation’s most comprehensive state legislation
to date addressing the illegal immigration crisis. Accompanied
by more lame excuses and misleading assertions, the governor
continued her pattern of talking tough but doing nothing to
deal with Arizona’s horrendous illegal immigration problem.
In her veto message, the governor mostly complains
that HB 2577 is not tough enough on Arizona’s business
owners –citizens of the United States. It appears that
the governor is more interested in punishing Arizona employers
than she is in any comprehensive immigration reform.
The governor calls the passage of this historic
immigration reform bill ‘political game playing’
by the legislature. Who is really playing political games?
Who is encouraging Democrat elected law enforcement officials
to complain that it is too difficult to enforce a new Arizona
law that makes it a crime to be here in violation of U.S.
law? HB 2577 provides the legal tools and the financial means
to much better protect the citizens of Arizona, and the governor
knows it.
The governor’s trumped up rational cannot
explain why she continues to refuse to act to protect Arizonans
from the economic, environmental and public safety nightmare
resulting from the steady stream of aliens crossing illegally.
House Bill 2577 would have invested $160 million
to bolster the enforcement of the state’s international
border and discourage the practice of reaping public benefits
while staying in Arizona illegally. In this Bill the legislature
also addressed concerns previously expressed by the governor
by making the new state crime of trespass a secondary offense
and altering the manner in which the National Guard would
be deployed.
The measure included the following major border enforcement
provisions:
• Providing for technology to address
the flood of illegal border crossers with $50 million over
the next two years to provide for a high-tech radar detection
system at the border.
• Denies public benefits to illegal aliens and prohibits
any government entity in Arizona from accepting any identification
unless it was issued by a state or federal authority, or
federally recognized Indian tribe.
• Grants to local agencies $55 million to assist in
border interdiction, enforcement and detention. Grants are
awarded by the Arizona Border Enforcement Security Team
made up primarily of local law enforcement officials.
• Ending any sanctuary policies that may exist in
counties, cities and towns, requiring political subdivisions
to support full compliance of laws related to illegal immigration.
• $28.8 million to the Gang & Immigration Task
Force which includes funding for 100 new DPS officers for
border enforcement.
• Prohibits illegal aliens from participating in various
social welfare programs.
• Illegal aliens and the businesses that hire them
now face consequences for flaunting U.S. law. HB 2577 provides
for employer sanctions for businesses that knowingly employ
illegal aliens, including fines, penalties and possible
revocation of business license. (Includes additional $2
million to the Attorney General for enforcement).
• Creates a secondary offense for criminal trespass
in Arizona by virtue of entering and remaining in the state
illegally with the first offense being a misdemeanor. Provides
a tool by which local law enforcement can either refer offenders
for prosecution or transfer them to federal authorities.
• Clarifies that peace officers are permitted to enforce
federal immigration laws.
• Deployment of National Guard to the border with
a $10 million appropriation.
• Addresses the environmental impact of illegal immigration
with $850,000 for prisoner clean-up crews and $200,000 for
an environmental impact study of the effects of illegal
immigration.
• To the extent money is made available from the federal
government for border enforcement, border initiatives will
be funded by federal dollars.
President Bennett said, “The time for
excuses and posturing has long since passed. Yes, the federal
government is debating this crisis, but who knows when and
how deeply they will act. Arizona is on the front lines every
day. For the governor to pretend she cares about doing something
while continually refusing to act is unconscionable.”
Speaker Weiers said, "Again, the governor
has thwarted the will of the people. Governor Napolitano is
continuing to allow the unabated flow of illegal aliens into
Arizona.”
Representative Russell Pearce (R-19) said, “Truly,
this governor is the best friend an illegal alien has. It
is a sad day when the governor sides with law breakers against
law keepers and citizens, who she is supposed to protect.”
President Bennett added, “The people of
Arizona deserve action to stem the tide of illegal immigration
-- one way or another, this needs to happen.”
Prior to vetoing the comprehensive border security
legislation contained in HB 2577, Governor Napolitano earlier
in the session vetoed a National Guard $10 million appropriation
and a trespass bill. Last year the governor vetoed numerous
measures that reflected versions of many of the provisions
contained in HB 2577.
###
For further information contact:
Nick Simonetta, Communications and Policy Advisor to the Majority
Arizona State Senate
Office: (602) 926-5418, e-mail: nsimonet@azleg.gov
OR
Barrett Marson, Director of Communications
Arizona House of Representatives
Office: (602) 926-3233, e-mail: bmarson@azleg.gov