The immigration bill signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer last Friday is the first attempt by a state to get Washington to make changes to federal immigration laws. The Arizona law requires local and state police to question people if there is reason to suspect they are in the United States illegally. It also requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and targets those who hire illegal immigrant day laborers or knowingly transport them.
Governor Brewer said she had no choice but to act because Washington's failure to address the issue had effectively left border protection to the states. "We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act," Brewer said. "But decades of federal inaction and misguided policy have created an unacceptable situation."
It appears the message from Arizona was received in Washington as President Obama cited the measure as a sign that Congress must act swiftly on overhauling immigration. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., issued a statement calling the Arizona law harsh and Republicans appear to be split. They believe either to pursue stricter immigration laws or court the expanding pool of immigrant voters. In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., says he will move immigration reform to the top of the agenda. The Arizona immigration law takes effect in 90 days.
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