Arizona Immigration Bill Exposes GOP Rift

AP

The controversial immigration bill signed into law in Arizona Friday is exposing a rift in the Republican party over how it addresses issues important to Latinos, a fast-growing voting bloc overwhelmingly opposed to the GOP-backed bill.

Two prominent Florida Republicans - former Governor Jeb Bush and likely GOP Senate nominee Marco Rubio - today spoke out against the legislation.

Bush (pictured with his brother George W. Bush) told Politico that the bill "creates unintended consequences." He added: "It's difficult for me to imagine how you're going to enforce this law. It places a significant burden on local law enforcement and you have civil liberties issues that are significant as well."

Rubio, meanwhile, used similar language, saying "aspects of the law, especially that dealing with 'reasonable suspicion,' are going to put our law enforcement officers in an incredibly difficult position."

"It could also unreasonably single out people who are here legally, including many American citizens," he added.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, meanwhile, suggested the law is unconstitutional, though he said it reflects "what good people will do" when they are left without better options.

Among those defending the bill are Republican lawmakers in Arizona, among them Gov. Jan Brewer and Sen. John McCain, both of whom are facing election battles this year. If Brewer hadn't signed the legislation, she would have exposed herself to criticism from the right that she is soft on immigration.

McCain, for his part, is facing a challenge from the right from former congressman and talk show host J.D. Hayworth. McCain was once a strong backer of comprehensive immigration reform that included a so-called "path to citizenship" for illegal immigrants, a position Hayworth has aggressively criticized.

McCain elected to support the bill signed into law by Brewer. Given the chance to repudiate it on CBS' "The Early Show" Tuesday, McCain declined, instead casting the bill as "a response to the president's and the administration's failure to secure our borders." He added that law enforcement officials believe they can implement the law without racial profiling.

Many Republicans seem unsure how to approach the new law. House Minority Leader John Boehner did not exactly endorse the legislation in comments Tuesday, though he didn't reject it either: He said the state has a right to pass its own laws and that "it has a 70 percent approval in Arizona and I think we ought to respect the people of Arizona and everyone should make their own decisions."

Indeed, the legislation puts members of the GOP in a difficult position: They don't want to turn off those members of their base who want them to take a strong position on illegal immigration, but they also fear the long-term repercussions of alienating Latino voters. In 2007, President George W. Bush's push for comprehensive immigration reform (centered on a "guest-worker program") was rejected by the Senate amid concerns from within the party that the bill amounted to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

The Arizona law, which would go into effect in July, includes in its provisions a requirement for law enforcement officers to question a person about his or her immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that person may be illegally in the country. Attorney General Eric Holder indicated today that he believes "the law is an unfortunate one that will be subject to potential abuse" and said that the Justice Department is "considering a court challenge."

[ATKeys]

That which Mr. Monopoli wrote and that which such as sen Graham reacted to may be an interesting law, but it is not the Arizona law, as originally written or as amended. It originally provided that a law enforcement officer (LEO) in a "lawful contact" with someone shall make a "reasonable attempt" to determine whether someone is an illegal alien if "reasonable suspicion" of that status exists. "Lawful contact" was clarified by amendment to "lawful stop, detention or arrest."

People will not be stopped on the street to show anything like an "ausweiss" nor will the LEOs be out looking for someone who looks alien. Since many of the state's LEOs are Hispanic, they would be showing their IDs to themselves or to other officers throughout the day.

The reporting on the law is scandalously erroneous and bad. Much that one reads or hears on this or many other issues and developments on governmental, political, and cultural matters is not true. Like TexFandango, I notice something reminiscent of Nazi Denmark: I feel like a Jew reading Nazi newspapers or hearing the news on the radio. America's mass news media, for the most part, cannot be trusted to be true or fair in their reporting and commentary--or intelligent.

[TexFandango]

I remember my dad telling me stories about living in Nazi-occupied Denmark. German soldiers were told to be on the look out for persons that appeared Jewish. Soldiers were given instructions on how to discern the physical characteristics of Jews and the sent out to challenge such persons by demanding their 'ausweiss' or other such identity documents. If a person couldn't prove they weren't Jewish, they were subject to arrest and interrogation by the authorities.

No doubt illegal immigration is a serious problem. And when people are scared they look for scapegoats to deflect any sense of personal responsibility for their plight. I'm sure they are otherwise good and decent folk, but I suspect Arizona's governor and many of its legislators would have felt comfortable living under German rule in 1944.

[improana]

For those who believe that this law will cause racial profiling, was created by racists and that people who look to be Mexican will be stopped while just minding their own business....you can read the actual Senate bill here:

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070h.pdf

CBS and the other liberal media probably should have looked at this before creating mass hysteria.

[improana]

We are bombarded with news stories every day that sure makes it hard to know what liberals (IE Democrats) stand for. They are a party of contradictions. For example:

Democrats supported a bill (now law) that requires American citizens to "show their papers" proving they have health insurance, yet they vilify Arizona for requiring illegal immigrants prove residency. So WE LEGAL CITIZENS have to prove we're obeying the law, but asking those breaking our laws for their documentation makes us "Nazis".

Democrats believe those who buy, wear and make fur coats are killers, but it's perfectly acceptable to them to kill unborn children. They care more about animals than their fellow humans.

Democrats were calling for Bush to be impeached for lying about WMDs in Iraq, some calling him a murderer and hanging him in effigy when all he did was believe his intelligence analysts in making his decision to invade Iraq. But when Obama lies about not raising taxes for families making less than $250,000 a year, lies about making government transparent, then hides behind closed doors and secret deals, it's ok. (Oh, and we KNOW Iraq had WMDs....they used chemical weapons on the Kurds in northern Iraq, killing tens of thousands, so where was the lie?)

Democrats think that those working on Wall Street are crooks and should be punished with fines and prison time.....but want an addition $50 BILLION to bail out those crooks in the future if they need it.

You have to wonder if they're just confused or do they have double standards. Do they really know what they want?

[TVO1CITW]

Those opposed to illegal immagration really like their gated communities.

[RedWing2010]

McCain is desperately running to the right on immigration since it's an election year and 70% of Arizonans supported SB1070, Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigration. But McCain has developed such a record of flip-flopping on the issues that he has little support left. He's flip-flopped on immigration, tax cuts, gay marriage and pork bailouts to name a few. He acts conservative only during election years. Now he's facing a tough Republican primary election and pretending to be conservative once again, and this time the voters aren't fooled. JD Hayworth has a consistent conservative record, achieving a 98% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union. Contribute now to help JD raise enough money by the end of April to buy TV and radio ads to defeat John McCain! http://www.jdforsenate.com/ctt?cttid=28&redirect=contribute

[ugot2bekidn]

You people need to get a grip. If you're white and don't speak spanish, good luck. Your country, that xenophobic whitebread America, you talk about is gone. Hear me - gone. The demographics are changing and you can't deport your way out of that fact without some form of Nazi/Maoist purge. For you knuckle draggers that means line 'em all up and shoot them. I know that's what you secretly want. You don't seem to understand - people don't come here illegally to screw with you. They come here because we are a beacon to the world of opportunity for those who have none. They come here to provide a better life for their families. They come here to bring us the drugs we crave and purchase and use. Face it white america, the worm is turning. We need to get out in front of that change with comprehsive immigration reform - you know like Dubya and McCain wanted but the Repubs blocked. That's right the Repubs blocked the last attempt. Now those same Repubs are fuming because the feds haven't done anything. Talk about chutzpah!!!!!!!

[mysablegsd]

Shoot to kill border policy.

No more anchor babies.

Fine and jail employers using illegal labor.

Massive sweeps to deport, deport, deport.

[bridgetann14]

Okay This is Redickless.. These people need to live also .. If there not here hurting anybody then whats the problem like my boyfriend got deported and hes not even a bad person we have a baby and now guess what im being mom and dad becuase of the countrys acts..on foodstamps and everything else becuase you wont let him be here with his family.. God made all of us not just some of us we should all be treated the same.. And to the people who are making these laws its only going to make things worse at the border and every where else also you will never be able to stop them from coming to the usa GOD will alays make a way so you people need to realize and give them more of a chance to get legal and recieve papers you are hurting people.. that are humans just lke you how would you fill if we took you from your wife and kids.. yeah thank about that one.. and obama has his illegeal aunt here HELP illegals dont hurt them.. Your also hurting yourself and other Thanks..

[questionit-2009]

No wonder Obama doesn't like anyone to have to show papers, after all he doesn't want to show us his!