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New Arizona Immigration Law: The Result of Years of Problems
Written by on May 11, 2010, 01:12 AM
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder suggested Sunday that the U.S. government may bring a lawsuit against the state of Arizona to halt enforcement of the new immigration law. The Arizona Republic has published an important 15-year timeline which helps put the law in perspective.
One interesting fact was that the law's author Russell Pearce first got involved in this when his son, a Maricopa County Deputy Sheriff was shot by an illegal immigrant. Check out the entire timeline by clicking here.
• 1996: Legislature passes a law requiring proof of citizenship to get a driver's license. Russell Pearce, director of the state Motor Vehicle Division, wrote the law.
• 1997: Chandler police and federal agents spend five days rounding up suspected illegal immigrants in downtown neighborhoods. They make 340 arrests, taking some legal residents into custody. City officials later pay $500,000 in legal settlements and spend years apologizing.
• 1998: Rep. Tom Smith, R-Phoenix, proposes a bill to require ID be shown at the polls. It fails in the Senate. Another bill requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote doesn't get out of committee
• 1999: Arizona ranchers ask lawmakers to call on the National Guard to come to the border to suppress an "invasion." Effort goes nowhere, beyond some lawmakers reading a proclamation about border violations.
• 2000: Voters endorse a requirement for English immersion in schools, banning bilingual education. It passes 63 percent to 37 percent.
• 2001: Pearce begins first term as state representative.
• 2004: Pearce's son Sean, a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputy, is shot and wounded by an illegal immigrant.
One interesting fact was that the law's author Russell Pearce first got involved in this when his son, a Maricopa County Deputy Sheriff was shot by an illegal immigrant. Check out the entire timeline by clicking here.
• 1996: Legislature passes a law requiring proof of citizenship to get a driver's license. Russell Pearce, director of the state Motor Vehicle Division, wrote the law.
• 1997: Chandler police and federal agents spend five days rounding up suspected illegal immigrants in downtown neighborhoods. They make 340 arrests, taking some legal residents into custody. City officials later pay $500,000 in legal settlements and spend years apologizing.
• 1998: Rep. Tom Smith, R-Phoenix, proposes a bill to require ID be shown at the polls. It fails in the Senate. Another bill requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote doesn't get out of committee
• 1999: Arizona ranchers ask lawmakers to call on the National Guard to come to the border to suppress an "invasion." Effort goes nowhere, beyond some lawmakers reading a proclamation about border violations.
• 2000: Voters endorse a requirement for English immersion in schools, banning bilingual education. It passes 63 percent to 37 percent.
• 2001: Pearce begins first term as state representative.
• 2004: Pearce's son Sean, a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputy, is shot and wounded by an illegal immigrant.
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