The legislative testimony, the press conference and the boycotts over SB 1070 are pretty much all history. And its architect is gone, the victim of a recall.
All that remains now is to see whether the U.S. Supreme Court will let Arizona begin enforcing key sections of the tough new immigration law.
But that is not halting efforts in the new session that begins Monday to adopt even more laws aimed at the issue.
Sen. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, is pushing two measures in particular. And while neither will directly reduce illegal immigration, he sees both as the steps to helping reduce the financial burden on Arizona taxpayers.
One would require that parents provide some proof when enrolling a child in public school that the youngster is either a citizen or here legally.
Technically, nothing in the legislation would preclude a child from being enrolled, as the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled all residents are entitled to public education regardless of legal status. Instead, Smith said, it's designed so the state can get a handle on the costs.
More than just getting a number is at issue.
In its 1982 ruling, the high court overturned a Texas law that denied state aid to educate any child not in this country legally. That law also gave local districts which would not be getting money the right - but not the obligation - to refuse to enroll those students.
Justice William Brennan, writing the decision, noted that Texas officials argued that they were justified in excluding illegal immigrants because of the "special burden" they placed on the state's ability to provide a high-quality education. But he said the record, at least in that case, "in no way supports the claim that the exclusion of undocumented children is likely to improve the overall quality of education in the state."
Proponents of getting the data contend that those numbers would give Arizona the chance to make that argument and get the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling.
That, however, may be difficult.
Brennan said in that ruling a case might be made for denying benefits to people who purposely break the law. But he said the Texas law penalized children "who are present in this country through no fault of their own.''
Smith said that, if nothing else, the law itself might save money as some parents opt not to enroll their children in school.
"If you're the parent that's illegal, and the child is illegal, and they're afraid to go, well, guess what?" he said. "That's what we call the price of breaking the law."
He acknowledged that the same thing could happen in the case where the child was born in this country - and is a U.S. citizen entitled to an education under any scenario - but the parent is an illegal immigrant.
Smith said the same is true of his other plan which would require hospitals to ask patients to prove legal presence in this country: It could deter some people from seeking care.
While illegal immigrants are ineligible for Medicaid and other programs, there is a requirement to fund emergency care for those who meet other financial requirements regardless of legal status. Hospitals also end up with some uncompensated care, with costs often passed on to paying patients and their insurance companies.
"Maybe the system is working," Smith explained. "Maybe we can deter the amount of money that is hemorrhaging out every year in free services for people that don't deserve it."
He said while that is not the underlying goal of either law, Smith said he would not be upset if that were a byproduct of the measures.
Both measures failed to get Senate approval last year. But Smith remains convinced that his colleagues can be convinced to go along.
But one measure that also faltered is unlikely to resurface: Having the state deny citizenship to the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.
Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said he still believes Arizona needs to pass such a law to force the U.S. Supreme Court to address the issue squarely of whether people are citizens solely by virtue of the location of their birth. He said that was never the intent of Congress when it approved the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in the wake of the civil war.
But Gould said that the same people who voted against the controversial measure last year are still in the Senate. And he said he has no reason to believe any will be convinced to reconsider.
Juggernaut8000 posted at 5:55 pm on Sat, Jan 7, 2012.
Illegals suck and each and every one of the filthy cockroaches should be deported.
Masterrogue666 posted at 11:07 pm on Sat, Jan 7, 2012.
NO ONE should be allowed to benefit from CONTINUAL CRIME!!!
samkat posted at 3:07 pm on Sun, Jan 8, 2012.
If the Obama administration is so hot to keep the illegals then they should be willing to pay for their upkeep as opposed to forcing the requirement on us. I realize that ultimately, we do pay for their upkeep but in forcing the feds just to acknowledge the fact is worth it. Once the true cost of the economic burden is public record our politicians will have to face the facts.
CooperG posted at 7:59 pm on Sun, Jan 8, 2012.
If Smith really wanted to do something positive, he'd be working with the Congress to deal with the labor demand and visa quota issues instead of trying to pass more laws that do positively and absolutely nothing to address the problem. Rather, this Russell Pearce wannabe wants to rile people up to make points to get reelected. Nothing more. Nothing less. He has zero interest in solutions.
Masterrogue666 posted at 8:13 pm on Sun, Jan 8, 2012.
Gee, I guess CooperG missed the MAIN POINT of the article:
"Sen. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, is pushing two measures in particular. And while neither will directly reduce illegal immigration, he sees both as the steps to helping reduce the financial burden on Arizona taxpayers."
Everyone asks for "proof". Sen. Smith wants to be able to get said proof. Nothing more, nothing less. Are liberals afraid to know the TRUE COSTS of ILLEGAL ALIENS children in our schools? Getting cold, hard facts sounds like a step in the right direction to me.....
CooperG posted at 3:44 am on Mon, Jan 9, 2012.
We already know the answer. We've known the answer since 2006, which is education is paid for in Arizona by sales and real estate taxes and everyone pays them, "Illegal immigrants" included. There are studies from across the country that prove it.
The problem with the studies Smith, et. al., like to cite is they ONLY include the expenditure side of the ledger, never the revenue side. Whenever you look at the full picture, the Arizona "illegals don't pay their way" education argument fades away.
Smith just doesn't like reality and wants to try to prove something he'll be wrong on. In that case, what's the point of putting another Big Government unfunded mandate on schools to find out something we already know.
Big Government and wasteful spending. Yeah, that's real Tea Party.
Accuracy posted at 11:07 am on Mon, Jan 9, 2012.
“But one measure that also faltered is unlikely to resurface: Having the state deny citizenship to the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants”.
-------------------------------------------
Stop trying to persuade the Supreme Court to discard its longstanding interpretation of the 14th Amendment rights, which are: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside”.
The U.S. Constitution provides the foundation for our “Born in the USA” birthright citizenship rule of law. Let’s keep up our steadfast defense of our Constitution and our God-given rights.
Masterrogue666 posted at 5:44 pm on Mon, Jan 9, 2012.
CooperG wrote: "which is education is paid for in Arizona by sales and real estate taxes and everyone pays them, "Illegal immigrants" included."
CooperG, do you realize the logic error in your statement? Most ILLEGAL ALIENS rent (unless they are comitting a FELONY using false id), and DO NOT PAY REAL ESTATES TAXES. So, that leaves just sales tax. The pitiful amount of revenue that is generated by ILLEGAL ALIENS paying JUST SALES TAX in NO WAY equals the drain that they, and their children, STEAL from a multitude of resources meant for US CITIZENS.
As for Federal and State income taxes, do you actually believe they would file a tax return (Those that are comitting Felonies using a CITIZENS ID)? Since "Day labor" ILLEGAL ALIENS get paid CASH, do you think they send money to the Federal and state governments?
Wake up....
Masterrogue666 posted at 7:41 pm on Mon, Jan 9, 2012.
Also, don't claim that those that rent pay taxes. THE LANDLORD pays the taxes even if they HAVE NO RENTERS.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 7:14 am on Wed, Jan 11, 2012.
All the while the Mormon Church and the Catholic Church are pushing for....FULL ILLEGAL ALIEN AMNESTY.
They will even settle for the............"UTAH COMPACT"...that gives ever...ILLEGAL ALIEN IN ARIZONA..........the right to drive in our State..........and the....'RIGHT TO WORK IN OUR STATE".
Our local......"FAST-FOOD" FRACHISE OWNERS", "LOCAL SUPERMARKET CHAIN OWNERS", "LOCAL HOUSING DEVELOPER MILLIONAIRES", "CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT PARTY BIG-SHOTS" and "CALIFORNIA HISPANIC RIGHTS ACTIVISTS".......are right (or should I say...LEFT) there with these Churches who would do anything to get ....PATOOTIES IN THE PEWS, MONEY IN THE TITHING BOX OR SUNDAY COLLECTION BASKET.
THE FACT THAT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DIED OR BEEN WOUNDED DEFENDING THE ......."AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP"..........THAT THESE CHURCH AND BUSINESS GROUPS ...............HOLD SO CHEAPLY !!!
HOW CAN YOU EXPECT A GROUP THAT...."DEFERRS" IT'S YOUNG MEN FROM SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY TO HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR IT'S ...."CITIZENSHIP" ???
IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO SERVE AND POSSIBLY BE WOUNDED AND EVEN DIE FOR OUR COUNTRY THEN SURELY YOU ARE CAPABLE OF GIVING DUE HONOR TO IT'S CITIZENSHIP.
whonew posted at 10:06 pm on Sun, Jan 15, 2012.
Something has to be done and if its not done quickly this will be another third world country within 5 years ! The illegals have taken over schools, with their parents not giving a s#*t if their kids learn english or anything about the American way of life. I guess thats obvious from their illegal status. Sitting at red lights in traffic seeing dirty hoodlums in nicer rides than retired people can afford to drive and knowing that at least 75 percent of these illegals are using "assumed" identities, with the knowledge that our judical system rarely punishes for such a crime. Everytime I see articles in the paper where a government office is being written about, whether DOT, city, state, it shows nothing but pictures of hispanic workers (at the very least 80percent of the time). Hospitals, doctors offices, car insurance, for those of us driving legally, property taxes, and of course the rising cost of everything you shop for, and politically correct or not im going to say it, for the d*m thieving S#B's who are too lazy to work and taught from birth to take from the gringos cause they can afford it as#*oles here illegally !!