House OKs bill making illegal immigrants felons
Associated Press
Mar. 30, 2006 03:11 PM
The House on Thursday approved a bill to expand Arizona's trespassing law to make illegal immigrants' presence in Arizona a crime and to enable local authorities to arrest them.
The bill (SB1157), passed Thursday on a 32-26 vote, had been approved previously by the Senate but now returns to that chamber to consider changes made by the House.
Under the bill, an illegal immigrant anywhere in Arizona would be guilty of a felony. Also, a law officer arresting someone for investigation of a crime would be authorized to question the person's nationality and immigration status. advertisement
The bill would permit a first-time violator to be turned over to federal authorities for deportation but also states the legislative intent that a repeat offender should be criminally prosecuted.
All 32 yes votes - one more than needed in the 60-member House - came from majority Republicans, while six Republicans joined all 20 Democrats in voting against the bill.
Democratic Rep. Ted Downing of Tucson later predicted that Republicans would experience a backlash. "This will be the rallying cry for every group and kid in the state," he said.
House Majority Leader Steve Tully, R-Phoenix, said he was voting reluctantly for the bill and hoped that it would be changed by a House-Senate conference committee.
Supporters say the approach would help communities catch illegal border-crossers who manage to get past federal authorities in Arizona, the busiest illicit entry point along the nation's porous southern border.
Opponents say the idea won't result in significant changes and that a similar strategy flopped last year in New Hampshire because states don't have the authority to enforce federal immigration law.
Associated Press
Mar. 30, 2006 03:11 PM
The House on Thursday approved a bill to expand Arizona's trespassing law to make illegal immigrants' presence in Arizona a crime and to enable local authorities to arrest them.
The bill (SB1157), passed Thursday on a 32-26 vote, had been approved previously by the Senate but now returns to that chamber to consider changes made by the House.
Under the bill, an illegal immigrant anywhere in Arizona would be guilty of a felony. Also, a law officer arresting someone for investigation of a crime would be authorized to question the person's nationality and immigration status. advertisement
The bill would permit a first-time violator to be turned over to federal authorities for deportation but also states the legislative intent that a repeat offender should be criminally prosecuted.
All 32 yes votes - one more than needed in the 60-member House - came from majority Republicans, while six Republicans joined all 20 Democrats in voting against the bill.
Democratic Rep. Ted Downing of Tucson later predicted that Republicans would experience a backlash. "This will be the rallying cry for every group and kid in the state," he said.
House Majority Leader Steve Tully, R-Phoenix, said he was voting reluctantly for the bill and hoped that it would be changed by a House-Senate conference committee.
Supporters say the approach would help communities catch illegal border-crossers who manage to get past federal authorities in Arizona, the busiest illicit entry point along the nation's porous southern border.
Opponents say the idea won't result in significant changes and that a similar strategy flopped last year in New Hampshire because states don't have the authority to enforce federal immigration law.