Arizona Law Stirs Immigration Debate

Arizona’s tough new immigration legislation has put federal immigration reform back into the spotlight, even as the Southwestern state’s decision attracts condemnation and debate. SB1070, signed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on April 23 and scheduled to take effect over the summer, allows local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws and arrest undocumented immigrants. It also paves the way for police officers to request identification in cases where they have “reasonable suspicion” that a person may be in the country illegaly, sparking criticism that the legislation would lead to racial profiling. Individuals caught transporting undocumented immigrants will also face charges. The law could face an uphill battle, given that some lawyers deem it unconstitutional and the U.S. Attorney General’s office is weighing the possibility of a federal lawsuit. With cries to boycott the state in response to the bill, Arizona could endure economic repercussions and has already drawn harsh words from Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón, who branded the law as “unacceptable racial discrimination.”

Arizona’s governor professed Monday that SB1070 will not result in a negative economic impact. Yet a fact sheet published by the Center for American Progress points out that the legislation will drain resources as the state takes on deportation costs. Moreover, should all undocumented workers leave Arizona, the state would shed 140,000 jobs and $26.4 billion in economic activity. As AS/COA’s Jason Marczak writes in the AQ blog, Latino buying power in Arizona ranked seventh out of the 50 states last year, with Hispanics making up over 30 percent of the state population. “But this thriving Latino population is once again being sent the message that they and any friends and family who are foreign born are not welcome,” writes Marczak.

With fears running high that both undocumented and legal Latino immigrants—as well as Hispanic Americans—will face racial profiling, civil suits could also take a toll on local and state coffers. “The only way to avoid those lawsuits is to ask every person that’s pulled over by the city of Phoenix Police Department, or called to their homes, to ask for their citizenship,” said Phoenix’s Vice Mayor Michael Nowakowski on Monday. “We’re the laughing stock of the country because of these crazy laws.”

SB1070 also earned criticism from across the border. Calderón warned that the law harms trade and cultural exchange, and the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Relations issued a travel warning for Mexican citizens in Arizona. The Christian Science Monitor reports that Mexico is Arizona's number one trading partner; in 2009, $4.5 billion worth of goods were exported from Arizona to Mexico and 40 percent of fruits and vegetables shipped from the United States to Mexico travel through the state. The OAS and Guatemala’s President Álvaro Colom rejected the law as well.

But perhaps the harshest criticism has come from within the United States, with SB1070 opponents calling for tourists to avoid Arizona. San Francisco took the boycott a step further, banning city employees from official travel to the state. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomed boycotting travelers, saying in a statement: “As a city, New York may well benefit from another state undermining its own international competitiveness—we’re happy to have those businesses and tourists come here. But as a country, America will be badly hurt if more states follow Arizona’s lead.”

In Washington, U.S. officials have joined the chorus of opponents. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, a former Arizona governor, told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the law will “siphon” federal resources and violates federal immigration laws. At the same hearing, Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) suggested the law is unconstitutional, but questioned how fast the U.S. Senate would move on comprehensive immigration reform—which last fell apart in 2007—due to fears about border security.

However, U.S. President Barack Obama has called the SB1070 “misguided” and warned against delaying action on immigration reform on a federal level. For that renewed attention, The Los Angeles Times commends Arizona. “Despite our strong condemnation of a new law that will likely promote racial profiling of Latinos in your state, we must acknowledge that you have accomplished what many others—including senators, committed activists and a willing president—have failed to achieve.” Reads the editorial. “You put immigration back on the national agenda.”

Learn more:

• Hilda Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor, will discuss immigration issues when she joins Council of the Americas for thr 40th Annual Washington Conference. Learn more about the Washington Conference, which takes place May 11-12.
• “Arizona Immigration Law Threatens all Immigrants…and the State Economy,” Jason Marczak, AQ blog, April 26, 2010.
• Arizona State Legislature overview page to SB1070, including overview, fact sheets, and amendments.
• Governor Brewer’s remarks on signing SB1070.
• Mexico issues travel warning against Arizona.
• Mexican President Felipe Calderón’s response to SB1070.