Do We Need New Laws To Solve the Illegal Aliens Issue?

K L Marsala

Illegal immigration continues to exacerbate itself in Arizona and all across our US borders. Only seven months into 2005 and in the state of Arizona, there have been over 700 illegal aliens picked up by Border Patrol and 170 deaths due to the extreme conditions across the barren wasteland that lies between Arizona and the land of the illegal aliens.

The latest numbers show an alarming economic impact, and criminal force within the state of Arizona and our nation. Look at the facts: crime rising, homicides up, loss of American jobs, tax evasion (illegal aliens who are employed are paid under the table), destruction of our Healthcare System, over 1 billion dollars to educate children of illegal aliens and- we wonder why we have been hit economically so hard. Add to this the continued open door policy that has been allowing more terrorist to infiltrate our country.

Arizona state legislators have been hard at work trying to implement a plan to stop the traffic flow, but they feel they have been finding nothing but roadblocks set up by Governor Napolitano. Napolitano professes to be diligently working to stop the illegal aliens from crossing our borders, but there are certain legislators who are questioning her record of accomplishments. Some legislators in Arizona view the governors vetoing bills to halt illegal alien crossings and the closed-door summit held recently in Flagstaff, Arizona (that she did not attend) to be showing an indifference to solving this imperative security issue.

According to State Representative Russell Pearce, the following are bills Arizona’s Governor has vetoed:

SB1306 (Pearce) Authorizes peace officers to investigation, apprehend, detain or remove aliens in the enforcement of United States immigration laws. Already authorized under federal law and April 1st a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court razed any concerns on this issue and made it clear that law enforcement can enforce immigration laws. Any decision by local law enforcement not to enforce these laws is simply political on the part of local politicians and Police Chiefs and Sheriffs.

SB1118 (Pearce) Voter registration; provisional ballot; address, implements the voting-related provisions of Prop. 200

SB1167 (Pearce) Establishes English as the official language of Arizona and requires that official actions be conducted in English and requires the State to do all it can to enhance and promote English as the Official Language.

SB1402 (Pearce) Part of the initially vetoed budget bills (was a separate bill was decided to put it in the budget) that appropriates $721,700 from the HURG fund to establish procedures to determine whether or not the information and documents provided by a person applying for a driver license are fraudulent. As a result of a federal sting we found hundreds of documents being submitted to MVD were accepted and licenses were issued and Homeland Security issued a warning of severe concern to national security and on this issue and yet our Governor still vetoed the bill.

HB2030 (Pearce/Boone) Requires that recipients of certain state - funded services are present legally in the Unites States. Also requires the agencies that provide these services to report on the number of people who applied to participate in the programs and the number who were not eligible for those programs due to their illegal status.

HB2709 (Jones/Weiers) Requires DOA to contract for a private prison facility to be located in Mexico to house Mexican National prisoners.

SB1186 (Martin) Incorporates into statue Prop. 200 requirement for proof of United States citizenship when registering to vote and stipulates the information submitted as evidence of citizenship does not become public record.

SB1511 (Martin) Prohibits law enforcement of other government agencies, commissions, boards or districts from accepting identification document such as a Matricular Consular care unless they are issued by a political subdivision, Indian Tribe, state or federal authority. Against warnings by the FBI, Homeland Security as unreliable and a serious risk to national security. She vetoed it anyway. Its only purpose is to allow illegal aliens to get public services.

Rep. Pearce points out as well that, Governor Napolitano, “has been engaged on fighting us on every issue including Prop. 200 (a citizens' initiative to require proof of citizenship to register to vote, photo ID to vote, and proof of eligibility for non-federally mandated public benefits i.e. welfare) and after it passed over whelmingly she is still trying to stop its implementation. Remember this Governor stated early on she believes illegal aliens should have driver licenses.”

In turn, according to the immigration strategies offered by Governor Napolitano there will be a development of a squad team of 12 Arizona Department of Public Safety Officers who will be trained by 12 U. S. Border Patrol Agents. Their sole purpose will be to focus on enforcing laws particular to the vicious practice of human and drug trafficking. It will also work with local law enforcement agencies to lessen the number of catch and release incidents statewide. Napolitano plans to have the squad run for one year and then evaluate it at the end of the calendar year to decide if it was effective in cracking down on this problem.

In addition, under the Governor’s direction, the Arizona Office of Homeland Security will provide $500,00 that will allow the Task Force to expand to include the DPS, the Arizona Department of Transportation Inspector General and the Motor Vehicle Department. Right now only Arizona Liquor License and Control serves on the Fraudulent ID Task Force. Many know that fraudulent identifications are a frequent tool utilized too often to get illegal aliens employment and terrorist commonly uses them so that they move about freely. (http://www.governor.state.az.us/global/press_room_0507.htm)

Some citizens question though why the current laws are not being enforced. The illegal aliens infiltrating our country’s borders have mixed within them those who want to murder citizens that believe in freedom. The Spain and London railway/transportation bombings were nothing more than practice runs for what is to come here in the United States. Terrorism is real and more terrorists are coming through our borders disguised as mere illegal aliens just looking for day work.

To solve this danger to our society let us call upon all of the state representatives, Congress and our President to end this destructive time bomb. To begin with, we have laws on the books that must be enforced. Our government has not been following the letter of the law, according to 8 USC Section 1324a: "Any person who knowingly hires/harbors/transports any illegal alien is guilty of a felony punishable by 10 years jail + $2000 fine per illegal alien + forfeiture of the vehicle or property used to commit the crime".. We must prosecute all corporations and business that knowingly hire illegal aliens. Without jobs to come to, illegal aliens will begin to find ways to come and work here legally, either with a temporary work permit or by going through the process of becoming a legal citizen. As well, any person or persons found transporting illegal aliens should receive the maximum penalty. Without transportation, illegal aliens will find it harder to cross our borders and they will not be dropped off in the middle of a desert and left to die.

Is an overhaul necessary to handle this dangerous and life threatening situation? Will writing new laws solve the illegal issues? Is enforcement the key? Ask yourselves, if we will not enforce the laws established to control this dilemma then how will spending more money, time and closed summit debates solve this crisis?