Jan Brewer

Federal Court Puts Arizona Immigration Law On Hold

Wed, 07/28/2010 - 4:50pm | posted by Doug Mataconis

A Federal Judge in Arizona has blocked the key provisions of Arizona’s immigration law from going into effect tomorrow:

PHOENIX — A federal judge on Wednesday, weighing in on a clash between the federal government and a state over immigration policy, blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona’s immigration enforcement law from going into effect.

In a ruling on a law that has rocked politics coast to coast and thrown a spotlight on a border state’s fierce debate over immigration, Judge Susan Bolton of Federal District Court here said that some aspects of the law can go into effect as scheduled on Thursday.

But Judge Bolton took aim at the parts of the law that have generated the most controversy, issuing a preliminary injunction against sections that called for police officers to check a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws and that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times.

Judge Bolton put those sections on hold while she continued to hear the larger issues in the challenges to the law.

“Preserving the status quo through a preliminary injunction is less harmful than allowing state laws that are likely pre-empted by federal law to be enforced,” she said.

Specifically, the injunction prevents the following provisions of the law from going into effect:

• The portion of the law that requires an officer make a reasonable attempt to determine the immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested if there’s reasonable suspicion they’re in the country illegally.

• The portion that creates a crime of failure to apply for or carry “alien-registration papers.”

Podcast: Immigration, Crist Party Switch, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell On Hold AGAIN, 2010 Elections, Guests: Mike Hassinger & Doug Deal

Mon, 05/03/2010 - 1:31pm | posted by United Liberty Staff

This week, Jason and Brett speak with Mike Hassinger & Doug Deal, both far too infrequent contributors here at United Liberty.

The discussion covers these news stories from last week:

Jan Brewer: America’s Worst Republican Governor

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 2:09pm | posted by Jason Pye

Jan Brewer

While I can understand why conservatives have an affinity for her, Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) has been a fiscal nightmare for the Copper State. Sure, she confronted President Barack Obama and pushed through a restrictionist immigration bill that has became popular in several red states.

But when it comes to fiscal policy, Gov. Brewer has been far from a conservative. In 2010, Chris Edwards, writing in the Cato Institute’s Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors, explained that Brewer not only pushed a sales tax increase, but also vetoed a budget because it cut spending. In 2012, Edwards noted that Brewer has “usually proposed substantial increases in spending” in her budget proposals.

Unfortunately, Brewer’s poor fiscal record doesn’t end there. While she did reject ObamaCare’s state exchange, Brewer decided last week to go along with the expansion of Medicaid provided under the law.

Cato Institute releases biannual report card on nation’s governors

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 12:20pm | posted by Jason Pye

Sam Brownback

The Cato Institute has released its biannual Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors, a useful tool that can help voters determine whether or not their chief executives are acting responsibly when it comes to taxation and spending.

The report this year, authored by Chris Edwards, should come with some interest, given that some of the governors graded in this round ran on Tea Party-themed platforms. This is the first real look into whether or not they’ve delivered on the rhetoric they espoused on the campaign trail.

Looking through the list, the nation’s best governors on fiscal policy — those receiving an “A” — do indeed have a Tea Party influence, or at the very least they ran on fiscally conservative platforms. Here’s a look at the cream of the crop:

Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Rick Scott (R-FL)
Paul LePage (R-ME)
Tom Corbett (R-PA)

The highest scoring Democrat, New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, received a “B,” and was among the best in the nation on fiscal policy. His grade is up from two years ago, when he received a “D.” Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who followed Mitt Romney in the Bay State, also received a “B.” Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam takes home the prize of being the lowest scoring Republican in the report, with a “D.”

Who are the nation’s worst governors on fiscal policy? Well, here they are — all of five received an “F” in the report (starting with the worst):

Pat Quinn (D-IL)
Dan Malloy (D-CT)
Mary Dayton (D-MN)
Neil Abercrombie (D-HI)
Chris Gregoire (D-WA)

Some other names of interest with summarized comments:

Immigration and free markets go hand-in-hand

Fri, 07/02/2010 - 11:14am | posted by Jason Pye

“No, this isn’t about terrorism. It’s about racism and bigotry.” - Penn Jillette

The “conservatives” that are railing about immigration need to read this:

The conflict between conservatives’ principles and their stance in Arizona on immigration is particularly stark in recent legislation. Under new Arizona laws, any business caught knowingly hiring illegal immigrants can have its business license revoked. What an incredible step it is for conservatives to back such a law! While on the one hand they laud enterprise and personal responsibility and free labor markets, on the other they have focused most of the state’s enforcement efforts on making sure immigrants can’t work without government approval. At the same time that conservatives savage immigrants for coming to America to live off welfare, they are trying their best to make it impossible for immigrants to earn a productive living.

Arizona Legislature To Citizens: “Show Us Your Papers”

Wed, 04/21/2010 - 3:01pm | posted by Doug Mataconis

The Arizona Legislature has passed what is clearly the most draconian immigration law in the country:

Arizona lawmakers on Tuesday approved what foes and supporters agree is the toughest measure in the country against illegal immigrants, directing local police to determine whether people are in the country legally.

The measure, long sought by opponents of illegal immigration, passed 35 to 21 in the state House of Representatives.

The state Senate passed a similar measure earlier this year, and Republican Gov. Jan Brewer is expected to sign the bill.

The bill’s author, State Sen. Russell Pearce, said it simply “takes the handcuffs off of law enforcement and lets them do their job.”

But police were deeply divided on the matter, with police unions backing it but the state police chief’s association opposing the bill, contending it could erode trust with immigrants who could be potential witnesses.

Immigrant rights groups were horrified, and contended that Arizona would be transformed into a police state.

“It’s beyond the pale,” said Chris Newman, legal director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. “It appears to mandate racial profiling.”

The bill, known as SB 1070, makes it a misdemeanor to lack proper immigration paperwork in Arizona. It also requires police officers, if they form a “reasonable suspicion” that someone is an illegal immigrant, to determine the person’s immigration status.

Currently, officers can inquire about someone’s immigration status only if the person is a suspect in another crime. The bill allows officers to avoid the immigration issue if it would be impractical or hinder another investigation.