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In Arizona, Senator Pearce’s New Anti-Immigrant Bill, SB 1611, Is SB 1070 On Steroids

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Senator Russel PearceWe’ve just learned from Border Action that the author of the infamous (and unconstitutional) SB 1070, Senator Russell Pearce, has introduced a new souped up anti-immigration bill for 2011. The new legislation, SB 1611, which was just introduced, is on a fast track. There’s already a hearing scheduled for today at 4 PM before the Arizona State Senate’s Appropriations Committee. Pearce’s new bill has provisions covering everything from education (primary and secondary), driver’s licenses, e-verify and just about anything else he could think of that wasn’t already in legislation.

It’s was already going to be a full day of immigrant bashing before that Senate Appropriations Committee. Border Action is holding a “Baby Stroller-In” to protest the other anti-immigrant bills already on the docket:

You may have heard from our recent Action Alerts that the Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote on SB1308 and SB1309, the bills targeting birthright citizenship, tomorrow, Tuesday, February 22nd.  But those aren’t the only bills we’re fighting tomorrow – the Senate Appropriations Committee will also vote on SB1405, the bill that turns hospital workers into immigration officers!

All three of these bills were scheduled for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee in the last few weeks, but no vote was taken due to a lack of support.  In an attempt to override opposition and push these bills through, the bills were reassigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee for a vote tomorrow.

Yes, there are members of the Arizona legislature who realize they’ve already gone too far. Russell Pearce isn’t one of them, and he won’t realize that he has until every undocumented immigrant is deported. If there’s collateral damage to Arizona’s citizens and economy along the way, so be it.

We’ll keep an eye on the Arizona Senate today and will report back on what happens.