Will be interesting to watch the new Congress deal with the immigration issue next year--not to mention the passage of the Senate introduced "Dream Act".
Boycotts over immigration law cost Arizona millions - USATODAY.com
Monday, November 22, 2010
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The article makes a good point about how Arizona has lost millions of dollars in revenue because of boycotts directed at Arizona because of their tough immigration law. This law has nothing to do with immigration. This law was written and passed behind the scenes by the private prison industry (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130833741). Not only that, Gov. Jan Brewer was Arizona Secretary of State during the 2004 elections and she blocked 100,000 voters from registering, a majority who were Hispanic. They had no felony records, it is a felony to register to vote if you have previously been a felon. So if they were going to deny their registrations on that fact, they should have arrested 100,000 people. But guess what? Not one person arrested. Why? Because she was just engaged in illegal voting purges and registration obstruction (http://www.gregpalast.com/behind-the-arizona-immigration-lawgop-game-to-swipe-the-november-election/). They claim this law is to crack down on undocumented workers. The truth is that this law was written by private prison industry representatives to make more profits and signed into law by Jan Brewer, who has shown she wants to purge Hispanic votes illegally, by whatever means necessary.
ReplyDeleteAlthough you make some great points Aaron I feel that this article focuses more on the job loss and how the crack down on illegal immigrants will effect Arizona's economy. I would have to agree with the article that even though the economy lost jobs in the beginning they will gain more in the end. It will feel like a great loss, but in the long run it will be more beneficial for the economy. While the immigrants work for less money that is a positive, but we pay for their health care and it costs American people those expenses. Therefore in the long run it will help our economy for the better and hire people who will put money into our social security and other programs.
ReplyDeleteSasha I have to disagree with you and most of it comes from principles. This country was founded on principles that deal with the basic human rights and new opportunity. I don't think its fair to tell someone that wants to come here and make their life better that they cant do so because they are illegal and deport them. Most of the issues these people are fleeing from come from the injustices that we as a county have committed. The USA dumps most of our e-waste in many 3rd world country's and we allow the farmers and big corporations to treat their workers inhumanly. I don't think you are I would perform very well on the citizenship test and it takes far to long for people to be Americans. Social Security is done its a program that wont last and we will not see this. American was founded on the land of opportunity, where has this gone?
ReplyDeleteJohn i have to agree with you, and go ahead and disagree with Sasha. We need this new opportunity and social basic rights. This dilemma of dealing with all of these unregistered people must be done so carefully, and financially efficient most of all. We must find a way to make this new burst of people beneficial.
ReplyDeletejeramy waterman
If Arizona really wants to crack down on illegal immigration, there is a much better solution available compared with looking at the color of someone's skin and using that as probable cause to see if they have their citizenship papers. They could enforce employment disclosure laws much more strictly on employers than is currently being done. If the enforcement of these laws were adequate, undocumented workers couldn't get half the jobs they currently have. By forcing employers to comply with the laws on the books, undocumented workers won't be able to find jobs, thereby forcing them to go back to their country of residence.
ReplyDeleteThere are many good points made on this post, and I agree with aaron's most recent post. It is understandable that Arizona wants to be more strict on immigration laws, but 1070 is a terrible law. The law is obviously costing the state way too much money, but it also mentioned that the state's responsibility to pay for illegal immigrants has gone down as well. I think it may be time to change the laws of becoming a citizen in this country. Simply the fact that any state even considers laws like this one tells me that the citizenship process is much too difficult.
ReplyDeleteI think this article shows the great contreversy associated with immigration policies. I think it is clear that the Arizona law violates many key rights anyone should have, especially in being protected from unlawful search and seizure that is racially based. By the response of people and business pulling out of Arizona I think it shows how highly we as citizens value those protections. However, on an equal level these people are here illegally and while they should have rights they are in fact violating our laws. So I think the major thing that needs to be addressed with immigration is how can the people who want to be here find a legal way of doing so, and I agree with Josh on this, it's time to change that method so that these people can be better protected and given the opportunities they desire. Additionally, I think that businesses need to be monitored more closely and maybe included in the process of how to become a legal citizen.
ReplyDeleteThe Arizona law was made to make the citizens of Arizona safer. The federal government refused to do anything about the mounting problems being faced on the border which lead Arizona to take matters into its own hands. People living in Arizona, especially on the border, are scared. Citizens go missing and are never heard from again. The drug traffickers enjoy a free pass from Mexico to the US with no confrontation. It sounds ridiculous in America that this is the case, but it is a daily reality in that part of the country. The Arizona law might not be perfect, but it's a start. A start to fix a problem that the federal government all but refuses to touch. Economic loss or not, people deserve and have a right to their government protecting them, especially when the problem is this pronounced and this dangerous.
ReplyDeleteThe claim keeps being made that this is a racist law. I could not disagree more. It is written in the law that police can only question citizenship under probable cause after that person is already being held for another reason. The state of Arizona took many measures to draft a bill protecting liberty while also protecting lives, but through the propaganda efforts being made against it, those aspects have become impossible.
I agree with Sasha's post. Times are tough everywhere right now. America's economy is in shambles. This report did not touch the fact that the economy as a whole might be at least in part responsible for Arizona's loses. The loss in money might be devastating right now, but when people and businesses start to realize that Arizona is a safer place because of this bill and that it said enough is enough, taking a stand where others refused because of their fear of not being politically correct, they will come back, and the economy will recover.
Everyone has brought up great points in this argument. Although Arizona is the focal point of this article, I believe its a bigger issue. Yes, Arizona has an illegal immigration issue BUT a lot of this is happening because of their economy. The states need to come to a consensus and figure out ways that we can help with these issues. A sustainable/marketable job force is needed. The mine that is being built in the Yellow Dog Plains is not. It will not hold jobs forever and I feel the environmental hazards will not help the situation.
ReplyDeleteOh, brother, John Barkowski. You're totally right but, honestly, a sustainable job force in Arizona? The only thing that would make Arizona sustainable is if no one lived there. We should relocate Phoenix et al. and make Arizona into a buffer zone for immigration, a lawless state in the West. That's about the only way sustainability is getting to Arizona. We could create a border with hazardous waste? Although I know there's that Texas company that wants a piece of nuclear waste. Let's just give that company Arizona!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/03/science/earth/03nuke.html
You know what's even more ridiculous than everything I just typed? S.B. 1070!
But it doesn't matter. I don't live in Arizona. I'll wait until the law is repealed through the judicial system. [If the only way to enforce a law is through discrimination, shut it down.] I just won't visit Arizona; I won't live there. That's part of having a mass of states collected under a federal body, you don't have to agree with what laws are passed. If the residents are happy, they're happy then. Maybe illegal immigration will decrease, maybe the Hispanic workforce will move out of the state. It's a scary thing to do in this economy- move to a different state- perhaps community colleges can take advantage of both this policy and the DREAM act and offer in-state/in-county tuition to rightfully-upset Hispanics that are being discriminated against in their hometowns. & that's what's so great, as much as I hate this law, the majority of our congressman (hopefully!) will be able to move forward and offer a life to illegal immigrants with the DREAM act. Patriotism can win while staying ethical!
Aaron's first comment here essentially sums up my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteIt's a disgrace that such a bill made it through the legislature and even more disgraceful that it is actually being defended by so many people.
Though a part of me also agrees with Connie that we should be boycotting the state of Arizona, I feel that we, as a people really need to make our feelings known.
As far as sustainability in Arizona, I feel that it's possible.
Not TOO far behind corporate giants, Freeport-McMoRan mining holds over 6,000 employees, not to mention Raytheon.