As Republican legislators unanimouslygreenlit costs to prison and arrest refugees in the state Senate onThursday, Arizona immigrants and Latino vote advocates rallied around, vowing to dislodge them for pushing “racist” policies.  ,
” There’s no place in our position forthis prejudiced legislation that would allow police to racially profile andharass our people”, Vanessa Perez, an organizer with Mi Familia Vota, yelled into a loudspeaker to a group of more than three hundred gatheredin front of the Arizona Senate tower.  ,
Outside, the four GOP members of the Senate Military Affairs and Public Safety commission cast their votes in favor of House Bill 2821 and House Bill 2748. The charges mirror a Senate type vetoed only two weeks ago by Gov. Katie Hobbs that would condemn refugees who cross Arizona’s southern border anywhere but at a port of entry with upward to 6 months in jail.
Republicans, who hold a lot inthe state senate and had seized on tough immigration policies toappeal to voters this election year, have promised to send thelegislation to the governor’s desk in a bid to color the Democrat asweak on border security. And gathering administration has indicated awillingness to avoid the Ninth Floor by placing the plan immediately on the November vote once the costs are certainly vetoed.  ,
Inside, the Arizona Capitolcourtyard resounded with slogans of” When our societies are underattack, what do we do? Stand up, battle backwards”! and” United, we did neverbe divided”! Protesters in vivid blue shirts with the Mexican luchadorlogo of Living United For Change, a pro- expat advocacy group thathas spearheaded the criticism of the costs, crowded around a handpainted symbol denouncing the legislation deal as” SB1070 2.0″.  ,
Critics of the legislation havedecried it as an extension of Arizona’s infamous” show me your papers “law from 2010 that allowed local police to investigate the citizenshipstatus of people during routine traffic stops and led to widespreadracial profiling.  ,
Attendees spoke out against the bills, highlighting the anti- immigrant sentiment behind them.  ,
Irma Pacheco, who was born in MexicoCity, called the GOP’s move against immigrants unfair, pointing outthat, historically, politicians unabashedly availed themselves ofimmigration to bolster the American workforce and build the country’sinfrastructure. The 62- year- old’s father was recruited by the BraceroProgram to help lay railroad tracks in the 1940s.  ,
” When they did need immigrants, theyused and welcomed them”, she said. ” And now they do n’t want us andthey’re trying to run us out. We’re not going to allow that, it’s unjustand inhumane”.
Lorenzo Escamilla Moreno, fromHidalgo, Mexico, who owns a family landscaping business, called onlawmakers to stop advancing discriminatory measures, saying thatimmigrants in Arizona deserve better treatment.  ,
” We, as human beings, deserverespect”, the 63- year- old said. ” That’s what we’re demanding. None of uscame to hurt anybody — all we came here to do is work. We’re yourneighbors and we deserve respect” . ,
Arizona Republicans have marketed theproposals as a necessary defense against a wave of criminal activity, using xenophobic language to villainize migrants and accuse them ofbeing responsible for a multitude of problems.  ,
” Multiple rapes, sexual violence aswell. We have crime increasing, and fentanyl”, Rep. Joseph Chaplik, R- Scottsdale, who sponsored one of the bills, told lawmakers on theSenate committee Thursday. ” And the housing crisis is, essentially, created by this invasion” . ,
The three Democratic members of thecommittee walked out of the hearing in protest on Thursday, just beforediscussion of the bills began, citing the uselessness of passing billsthat are destined for a veto and the harm they would cause to thestate’s Latino community. Democratic lawmakers in both chambers haveunanimously opposed the GOP immigration bills, but with a minority onevery committee panel and in the state legislature as a whole, the partyis powerless to stop the proposals from advancing.  ,
The trio of Democrats joined theprotest outside, adding their voices to the criticism of the policyproposals. Sen. Flavio Bravo, a Democrat from Phoenix, recalled hisrelief when the U. S. Supreme Court ruled against SB1070 and slammed hisRepublican colleagues for backing legislation that has the potential toend in costly lawsuits, even as the state faces a$ 1.7 billion dollar budget deficit.  ,
In 2012, the high court struck down three of the law’s four provisionsand ruled that enforcing immigration laws is under the sole and supremeauthority of the federal government. That law cost the state more than$ 1 million in court costs. And the new proposals are likely to landArizona back in court, if they become law. The bills are modeled on aTexas law that is currently under litigation, with the federal government arguing that it’s unconstitutional.  ,
” During a time when we are facing abudget deficit, do we really want to spend another$ 1 million dollarsfighting in court about a bill that we know is unconstitutional”? Bravoasked. ” It is irresponsible to repeat the same mistakes of the past. These bills are nothing but home grown bigotry in a place of policy” . ,
Jeremy Garrett, a campaign managerfor Our Voice Our Vote Arizona, a voter mobilization group, warned thatwhile the courts have in the past sided with the federal government whendetermining who has the right to enforce immigration laws, the newmakeup of the U. S. Supreme Court has been unafraid of bucking precedent. Earlier this week, the high court refused to approve a request from the Biden administration to block the Texas lawfrom being implemented while litigation continues. Only two of thejustices on the current nine member panel were on the bench in 2012 whenSB1070 was ruled unconstitutional.  ,
The successful passage of the new legislation, Garrett said, could prove devastating.  ,
” With the current makeup of the Supreme Court, there’s no guarantee these bills, if challenged, would be struck down”, he said.  ,
And if the Republican majority makesgood on its promise to send the proposal, which has been dubbed the” Arizona Border Invasion Act”, to the November ballot to avoid Hobbs’veto pen, the only recourse left would be the courts if it’s ultimatelyapproved by voters.  ,
The solution, Karina Ruiz, theexecutive director of the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, which advocatesfor increased protections for immigrants brought to the country asminors, is to show up to the polls and flip the legislature to aDemocratic majority.  ,
” We’re watching you and what you ‘redoing”, she warned GOP lawmakers. ” We’re going to keep coming back, andwe’re going to replace you with better people, people that do care aboutour community” . ,
Rocky Joseph Rivera urged the crowdto get involved in the upcoming election, pointing out that theRepublican party holds a razor- thin one- vote majority in each chamber. Democrats need to win just two extra seats in both to gain control.  ,
” We’re ( four ) seats away from having this change”! he said. ” So, these bills can never exist at all” ! ,
And 57- year- old Magdalena Marin, whobecame a naturalized citizen in 2005 and has lived in Arizona for thepast 20 years, said she’s ready to make her voice heard. She’s also themother of five children, all of whom she’s taught to be active voters.  ,
” These lawmakers apparently have Alzheimer’s — they’ve forgotten all the harm laws like these have done. But we’re going to give them a little pill called’ voting,'” she said, to loud cheers from the crowd.
