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.

  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.

From unlawful entry to the federal court room, today a Clinton appointed federal judge questioned aspects of both the federal government's lawsuit against Arizona and the law it opposes.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton dealt a devastating blow to the federal government early as she articulated her doubt in one of the federal government’s key claims; that the impact of the state law would usurp federal authority to set nationwide immigration policies. (Read more).

Published July 22nd, 2010 8:44 pm MT on Examiner.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has formally challenged SB 1070 this week.  It has been all over the news; everyone knows.  A nation divided is now watching the divide widen.

The verbiage has greatly shifted from what the nation was first told about the Arizona law from the Obama Administration.  The change in dialog by the Obama Administration came after actually reading the legislation, but the need to fight the measure after such strong objections had to be maintained.  After all, the American President stood aside the Mexican President smiling while America was denounced by a foreign government on the Capitol of American soil.  No longer are the words “racial profiling” and “racist” being used by the Obama Administration.  Instead, it is best to fight such a law to be enacted on the state level by the truth from the federal level which is threatened by it. (Read more).

Published July 8th, 2010 1:52 pm MT on Examiner.

"Because it has not been enforced, let's just use that as the reason to not enforce it."  And so, the battle over Arizona's new immigration law wages on and stoops to new lows.

The nation, in an uproar over Mexico’s President being allowed to go unchallenged when denouncing the Arizona immigration law before the US Congress has left Liberals and Conservatives alike with a new understanding of whose side the Obama administration is actually on.  It is not America’s side if you’re wondering. (Read more).

Published May 21st, 2010 4:28 pm MT on Examiner.

It is hard to imagine that doing the right thing can be construed as being the wrong thing to do.  Enforcement of the law is what every citizen expects in any community; in fact is it demanded.  Why then is moving to enforce longstanding federal law considered wrong? (Read more).

Published May 19th, 2010 5:29 pm MT on Examiner.

After much heated discussion, following lengthy protests and in the wake of both national and local support and criticism; Gov. Jan Brewer signed S.B.1070 into law just moments ago, referring to the new law as "another step forward in protecting the state of Arizona."  Governor Brewer also stated that the bill was the state's only choice given the federal government's failure to secure the nation's borders. (Read more)

Published April 23rd, 2010 3:56 pm MT on Examiner.

Immigration Enforcement is a touchy subject.  There is no easy way to deal with it.  Offended are Liberals and Mexican Americans alike; because Arizona has "singled out an ethnic population" and most definitely not because illegal immigration is a crime.  Despite the outcry against Immigration Enforcement in Arizona, the support for such measures has a  much higher approval ratings than disapproval.  For or against the measure, an important aspect is being grossly over looked.  National security. (Read more).

Published April 22nd, 2010 9:02 pm MT on Examiner.

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.