Arizona immigration law: Vandals leave Swastikas, beans at Capitol
AZCentral.com
4/26/2010
The conflict over a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration in Arizona intensified Monday as vandals smeared refried beans in the shape of swastikas on the state Capitol’s windows.
More protests were planned Monday after thousands gathered this weekend to demonstrate against a bill that will make it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant in Arizona.
…The new law makes it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. Immigrants unable to produce documents showing they are allowed to be in the U.S. could be arrested, jailed for up to six months and fined $2,500.
Arizona officers would arrest people found to be undocumented and turn them over to federal immigration officers. Opponents said the federal government can block the law by refusing to accept them.
Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva asked the federal government not to cooperate when illegal immigrants are picked up by local police.
State Sen. Russell Pearce, the Republican who sponsored the legislation, said it’s “pretty disappointing” that opponents would call on the federal government to refuse to cooperate with Arizona authorities.
“It’s outrageous that these people continue to support law breakers over law keepers,” Pearce said Sunday…
…”If I go to another foreign country, if I go to Mexico, I have to have papers,” said Bill Baker, 60, who took time off work at a downtown Phoenix restaurant to sell umbrellas and Mexican and American flags to the largely Hispanic crowd of protesters. “So I don’t feel there’s anything particularly harsh about the law.”…
The entire article is at AZCentral.com
Obama Blasts Pending Arizona Immigration Law: “Irresponsibility”
White House blog
FoxNews.com
4/23/2010
President Obama used a naturalization ceremony in the Rose Garden to lash out at the Arizona Legislature for passing a bill requiring proof of legal status [Emphasis CAJ] and empowering state and local police to stop people based on a suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
Obama called for comprehensive immigration reform and said Washington’s failure to act has bred a climate of fear and retribution in some border states. He singled out the Arizona bill – which would make it crime to be in the state without documentation…
“Our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others,” Obama said. “That includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”
Obama said the administration will “closely monitor the situation and examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation.”
…In his Rose Garden remarks, Obama said if Washington fails on immigration reform “we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country.”
…Obama delivered his broadside against the pending Arizona immigration bill at a naturalization ceremony for 24 members of the U.S. military who became citizens after reciting the oath delivered by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. [Emphasis CAJ] As governor of Arizona, Napolitano vetoed previous efforts to require proof of legal residency to state and local law enforcement.
The newly minted citizens are immigrants from the following countries: England, Philippines, Togo, Spain, Mexico, Guyana, Jamaica, Peru, Papua New Guinea, Haiti, Brazil, Kenya, Poland, Ethiopia, China and Colombia .
The entire article is at FoxNews.com
In August 2009 Nancy Pelosi falsely accused the Tea Parties and citizens questioning their representatives at Town Hall meeting about the pending health care bill of being AstroTurf and wearing swastikas [H/T jcncnc]:
From Fausta’s Blog, 17 September 2009: Speaker Pelosi implied the Tea Parties and Town Hall meetings were places where conservative Americans were inciting violence:
“I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw — I saw this myself in the late ’70s in San Francisco, this kind of — of rhetoric was very frightening and it gave — it created a climate in which we — violence took place,” Pelosi said.
“And so I wish that we would all, again, curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements that are made, understanding that — that some of the people — the ears it is falling on are not as balanced as the person making the statement might assume,” she said.
“But, again, our country is great because people can say what they think and they believe, but I also think that they have to take responsibility for any incitement that they may cause.”
