Arizona’s immigration enforcement law is again setting the standard.  This time it is California which wishes to not only adopt similar legislation, but feels the Arizona law should become the national immigration law enforcement norm.

Arizona’s SB 1070 drew national and international criticism for provisions backing the federal requirement to ensure appropriate identification was carried by legal aliens.  A provision that the federal government later sued Arizona over and in turn placed into the DREAM Act where it went largely unchallenged by those including the federal government that once opposed it.  Another highly contested provision of SB 1070 was the extension of law enforcement measures that enabled local law enforcement personnel to directly inquire about citizenship status.  California is currently seeking to extend this ability to state law enforcement.  The challenges for California are clear.  (Read more.)

Published February 4th, 2010 on Examiner.

In 2010 the nation engaged in spirited debate over illegal immigration.  The state of Arizona was unconstitutionally boycotted (Friedman) and sued by the federal government for passing legislation that sought to enforce existing federal laws that the federal government struggles to uphold. (Johnson)  The federal government directly challenged provisions in the Arizona law and quietly placed them in its own failed DREAM Act which sought to grant amnesty to many in the nation unlawfully.  (Johnson) (Read more).

  By: Paul Johnson
Published on July 29th, 2010 @ 06:30:24 pm , using 1434 words Posted in  Scottsdale Examiner

I have to admit that I love political conversations at work. Granted, in my position I have to be a bit careful, but none the less they are fun.

One of the other directors asked me this morning, "So what do you think about the strong ruling against Arizona yesterday?"

My retort. "What do you think about the strong ruling against the Obama Administration yesterday?" The look of confusion was absolutely classic! Profound "dumbfoundedness," polarized by contempt and confusion.

"What ruling against Obama? I am talking about SB 1070. There was no ruling against Obama." As she began to insist upon herslf.

And therein lies the problem ladies and gentlemen. Reliance on mass media that actually has gotten the story completely wrong. The initial story went out without all of the details of the ruling. In the haste for writers go be read, that story is elaborated on just enough to avoid plagiarism and slightly altered versions of the same incorrect and shallow story reverberated across the nation - all incorrect. (Read more).

Featured on Conservative Refocus.

As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid backed off a major push on immigration reform,citing the issue may prove too volatile for the embattled Democrats struggling to maintain a majority in an election year, while just recently declaring in the state of Nevada immigration reform cannot wait.  The mixed signals coming from Washington and the Obama administration were met in the state of Arizona with anything but mixed signals on how best to deal with the illegal immigration issue.  Tuesday, the state of Arizona pushed forward with its own sweeping immigration legislation by passing immigration-enforcement 35-21. (Read more).

Published April 13th, 2010 9:47 pm MT on Examiner.