Posted Mar 23, 2011, 3:40 pm
Until last week, this year's legislative session was proceeding more or less as usual. Senate Republicans introduced the expected package of new measures that would impose further prohibitions on the undocumented and their children. Their confidence was understandably high: Polls show that most Arizonans remain very concerned about illegal immigration.
But last week all five bills were rejected by the Senate, whose president, Russell Pearce, is their foremost champion. The vote wasn't even close, with nearly half of Republican senators voting against some of the measures.
What happened? Are Arizona's political leaders softening their stance against illegal immigrants? Has the ideological ardor that hurled the state into the national spotlight begun to wane?
Probably not. What instead happened was a rare triumph of rationality over emotion. In short, enough Republican senators were persuaded that it was both futile and dangerous to continue waging open warfare against the forces of economics and demographics.
It's not that they haven't tried. Since at least 2004, Arizona has enacted a series of measures expressly designed to drive undocumented residents away. Are they working? We don't know. True, recent Census Bureau numbers support other evidence that Arizona's population of illegal immigrants has dropped since 2007. But undocumented populations have dropped elsewhere as well, and virtually all experts blame most if not all of that drop on the recession. In addition, many undocumented Arizonans just ducked the census-takers last spring.
But statistical uncertainty didn't produce the surprising Senate votes. That happened because enough Republican senators were persuaded that, on the topic of immigration as in most others, the bottom line is the bottom line. That is, economics rules. The persuasion came in the form of an open letter sent to lawmakers last week from state business leaders.
"Last year, boycotts were called against our state's business community, adversely impacting our already-struggling economy and costing us jobs," the business leaders wrote. "Arizona-based businesses saw contracts cancelled or were turned away from bidding. Sales outside of the state declined. … It is an undeniable fact that each of our companies and our employees were impacted by the boycotts and the coincident negative image."
The letter may have actually changed some minds on the Senate floor. More likely was that it provided essential cover for lawmakers to invoke when they confront the inevitable voter rage. If there's any cause that trumps even the anti-illegal immigrant fervor that's swept Arizona, "it's the economy, stupid." More than one angry senator from the losing side complained that the CEOs' true motive was to maintain a cheap supply of immigrant labor — and they are of course not wrong.
Illegal immigrants have been flowing into and through Arizona for generations because our major economic interests have invited them, openly or tacitly. Their influence has also discouraged even Arizona from seriously enforcing the employer sanctions law, arguably the most effective approach to reducing illegal immigration.
And we all know what will happen when our economy and our demand for labor revive. It's a fine example of the free market at work, and has nothing at all to do with "anchor babies" or "birthright citizenship."
Then there's demography. The recent Census Bureau estimates revealed that more of our children are now Latinos than are non-Hispanic Whites. Other numbers underline the message: One out of three Arizona children has at least one immigrant parent; in about 10 years, immigrants will account for a bigger share of new Arizona workers than native-born citizens; in about 15 years, non-Hispanic Whites will no longer form the majority of Arizonans. In about 40 years, the same will be true for the nation.
True, most Latino Arizonans are citizens or otherwise legal residents, many of whom are also concerned about illegal immigration. But most are considerably more balanced in their view of the issue, and many worry that they too, or family members or friends will be targeted by overzealous immigration enforcement. It has certainly happened before in the sorry history of U.S. immigration policy.
Large-scale illegal immigration is clearly a major public-policy question that demands serious e federal government, which should properly resolve this issue, has clearly failed to do so. But demonizing and harassing the undocumented with laws of questionable legality and impact make for fine politicking but little else. Doing so against the forces of economics and demography makes for an exercise in futility.
Morrison Institute for Public Policy is a leader in examining critical Arizona and regional issues, and is a catalyst for public dialogue. An Arizona State University resource, Morrison Institute uses nonpartisan research and communication outreach to help improve the state's quality of life.
William Hart is a senior policy analyst at Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University.
1 comment on this story
America has a new version of the E-Verify system that should be officially mandated by the federal government, so all businesses must conform or face harsh penalties. Currently Prison should is not high on the list for employers, who knowingly hire discount labor. Painful fines should also be approved, with confiscation of business assets and property involved in the criminal enterprise. Around this nation an estimated 8.5 million jobs has been stolen during the illegal alien invasion, with over ten million in a legitimate labor force still hunting for jobs. This is not a satisfactory circumstance for the TEA PARTY leadership, whom are building their ranks of pro-sovereignty people. Americans are furious and frustrated with business as usual. E-Verify is voluntary currently owing to the blocked vote of Democrat, pro-illegal immigrant Harry Reid. It was diverted by him in the Senate from being permanently installed as an enforcement tool. THE DEPT OF JUSTICE USED THE GREAT STATE OF ARIZONA AS AN ILLEGAL ALIEN CAUSE, BECAUSE THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HIS HEAVILY INFILTRATED WITH LEFTIST DOCTRINES.
Lobbyists for big business have been detrimental for generations, pushing their ideas, philosophies with large campaign contribution. Undisclosed cash and gifts hidden from public viewing and no policing, has brought portentous advantage in Washington and State Congressional offices. Like so many other Unions, the SEIU has unknown numbers of illegal alien labor in their membership, to abundantly add to their shrinking numbers. Many protests that we see today for illegal immigrant rights are mobilized by trade union influence.
E-Verify has been successfully overhauled and now has grown in popularity with hundreds of thousands of honest companies in every State implementing its resources. However, this is not so in the Sanctuary States of Nevada, California, New Jersey and Texas. California, with Nevada is heavily in debt, credited to the Liberal influences in its legislative politicians enacting laws in Sacramento and Virginia City. California, Nevada have one of the largest illegal populations in the country, where foreigners are draining the welfare, workers compensation, unemployment benefits and other public services. Many of these people are using fake ID, as countless numbers do for years, undermining many regular Americans credit history and personal information. Other States are just becoming more aware of the grave situation, caused by the economic aliens crossing our—ALL—borders or flying in from foreign countries.
Until a politician becomes a victim of stolen ID or fraudulent documentation nothing will be accomplished in Washington. No legitimate person’s papers will be safe as even new born babies, military abroad or even a deceased Social Security number is prey. Many are here to cheat the system so taxpayers are forced by federal law to fund their family’s education and free health care. Secure Communities and policing law as 287(G) are further innovations to apprehend foreign nationals who have settled here. Death tolls are rising at the bloody hands of illegal immigrants, as many arrive here with mayhem in mind. Dragged from the sewers of foreign ghettos, they come to pilfer the people’s wealth, either by legal means or through criminal activity. Removing illegal immigrants from this nation will go a long way to reducing Federal, State and County deficits.
In Europe regular police departments are not restricted, by Liberal prohibitions with such ill-conceived agenda’s as “Political Correctness” having every right to check an individual’s immigration status, whether they are driving or a pedestrian. In Germany, France of even Britain you had better have your passport on your person or other government ID, when it’s requested by the authorities today.
Those of us who are tired of the money influences and power of corporate and business entities, the church, special interest groups, and radical groups, should become a member of the rising sway of the TEA PARTY. I personally have had it, with my taxes being taken to pay for foreign invaders support. Many of who are only interested in taking our money, refuse to learn the language or assimilate, dissimilar to the early immigrants passing through Ellis Island. They came here with nothing and didn’t take advantage of taxpayers. Tea Party is apposed to any form of Amnesty, which includes so-called Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Rescind the birthright citizenship law, except where one parent is a citizen, Any form of Dream Act or Sanctuary City policies (STEALTH AMNESTIES), until the border fence is sealed tight and controlled by at least 5.000 military presence. America will always be susceptible talented workers of the highest spectrum, but not the beleaguered uneducated and hoping to reach this country, to take advantage of its gainful welfare programs.