Border Action Update - Special Issue
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
40,000 Emails Sent to AZ Legislators Opposing
Anti-Immigrant Measures.
None Passed for Second Consecutive Year.
Supporter, Arizona's anti-immigrant legislator, Russell Pearce, is losing steam and political power
At 7:21am today both the Arizona House and Senate closed their sessions for the year. In a state notorious for passing legislation aimed at targeting and excluding immigrants, their employers and their families, the session concluded with no anti-immigrant bills approved.
"Arizona residents and other legislators have made it clear for the second year in a row: we are not a hate-filled state," explains Jennifer Allen, Executive Director of the Border Action Network. "Russell Pearce couldn't bully his way through the legislature this year. He was challenged by Republicans, Democrats and the public, en mass. He lost, plain and simple," added Allen.
From January to June, the Arizona legislature had been deadlocked in debates over resolving the state's $3 billion budget deficit. By June 8th a budget bill was passed but not sent to the Governor. While sitting on the budget bill and knee deep in negotiations with the Governor, the legislative floodgates opened up and for the last three weeks of session, bills were pushed through at full speed.
Border Action Network, a human rights community group based in Arizona, monitors the legislature and mobilized people across the state to stop what it refers to as hate-filled legislation.
This session, the group monitored twenty-seven bills, seventeen of which were sponsored by Senator Pearce that focused on "targeting, alienating or criminalizing" immigrant families, according to the group. Only twelve of the twenty-seven bills were even heard committees. The group sent out thirty-four alerts following each step of the twelve bills. Supporters from across the state overwhelmingly responded: 40,000 emails were sent to legislators calling for opposition to the bills.
Senator Russell Pearce, once thought to be a powerhouse in the legislature, slipped from the ranks, unable to get his budget bills or immigrant-targeted bills through for the second year in a row.
"There was unprecedented response from Arizona residents," explained Allen. "It is clear that Arizonans are tired of the repressive mentality that Russell Pearce has sought to promote. We want to see our legislature transform our state into one that is welcoming, innovative and forward thinking. Pearce is completely out of touch with Arizona's needs, its residents and its future."
In the coming month, Border Action Network will release its annual scorecard analyzing legislators' and the Governor's votes on bills affecting, positively and negatively, human rights of immigrant and low-income families in Arizona.
For a list of the bills monitored by the group visit www.borderaction.org
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