Ariz. senator targets immigrants' kidsRussell Pearce, the author of Arizona's immigration law, is now focusing on the children of illegal immigrants. | APRussell Pearce isn’t done yet.
With newfound prominence as the author of a law that ignited a national firestorm over immigration, the Arizona state senator hopes to keep fanning the flames of the issue long after the courts uphold or strike down SB 1070.
That legislation focused attention on how far Arizona police can go in determining the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally.
Now Pearce, a deputy sheriff before entering politics, has a new target: the children of illegal immigrants. The way he sees it, he’s simply protecting taxpayers from those who are abusing public benefits like schools and hospitals.
-snip-
Pearce said he plans to introduce a bill next year requiring that illegal immigrants pay for their kids to attend public schools. And last month, he signaled he would author legislation to deny birth certificates to so-called anchor babies, the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants. But Pearce said
he’s now collaborating with Reps. Brian Bilbray of California
and Steve King of Iowa, Arizona Senate hopeful J.D. Hayworth
and other Republicans on an alternative approach: a legal reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment to deny citizenship rights to offspring of illegal immigrants. -snip-
By now, opponents in Arizona know they can’t underestimate Pearce’s ability to mobilize anger over the immigration issue.
“Democrats have to understand, if we don’t start dealing with a solid reform package pretty soon out of this Congress, then we give the wing nuts like Russell Pearce the opportunity to not only introduce legislation but mobilize people and keep this issue constantly on the front burner,” said Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), whose sprawling district sits on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“It’s a political tactic he’s used since 2000, and now it’s got legs.”
Indeed, Pearce has been waging an unforgiving war against illegal immigrants — “invaders” he calls them — for the better part of a decade. Read more:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40675.html#ixzz0vhZNdc3V