In 2006 the Republican US Senate passed immigration reform, but it never came to a vote in the House, which decided instead to build a fence on the border. In 2007 a Democratic Senate bill was twice withdrawn from the floor. Washington's failure at immigration reform has created a legal vacuum Arizona Republicans are eager to fill. They've passed a bill requiring police to demand papers of anyone they suspect of illegal entry and to bar day laborers from soliciting work on the street. Even chiefs of police warn about racial profiling, and alienating legal workers they need for help in enforcing the law. Others call it bad for business. Supporters are open about its goal of making life as miserable as possible for undocumented workers. We hear both sides.
Arizona Gets Tough on Immigration in Absence of Federal Reform
Credits
Guests:
- Glenn Jenks - Episcopal Priest, Arizona Interfaith Network
- Luis Gutiérrez - US House of Representatives - @repgutierrez
- Doris Meissner - Migration Policy Institute - @MigrationPolicy
- Leo Banks - Reporter, Tucson Weekly
- Steven Camarota - Center for Immigration Studies - @wwwCISorg