Arizona Readies a New Batch of Anti-immigration Laws

The Arizona legislature ends its session on Tuesday, June 30, and is expected to send the governor a batch of anti-immigration bills -- e.g., charging the undocumented in the state with trespass, requiring local and state police to enforce federal law and instituting a check on undocumented children in schools. On this latter, the state has to provide education at the primary and secondary levels by the federal courts, but now their presence and progress will be noted by the school districts. Immigration advocates deplore the new assault on the undocumented, arguing it would lead to racial profiling. Even conservative municipal mayors and business leaders argue the new laws are too vague and impose too heavy burdens on local government. (See Arizona Republic article.)