U.S. Supreme Court To Hear Arguments on Arizona's Employer Sanctions Law

(June 28, 2010) The Supreme Court has granted certiorari in the Legal Arizona workers Act (LAWA) employer sanctions case. We are very pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court will now make a ruling and give guidance on whether the U.S. Constitution preempts state and local governments from enacting immigration laws. The upcoming Supreme Court decision will decide whether Arizona's 2007 Legal Arizona workers Act (LAWA), the employer sanctions law, will remain in effect and the decision may also give guidance on the fate of S.B. 1070. A decision by the court to strike down the law will reestablish immigration law as a uniform national policy rather than a patchwork of different state and local laws that can be inconsistent and chaotic for businesses and workers.

The briefing will occur over next few months, the oral arguments should be in October, and a decision likely will be issued in Spring 2011.

An Alternative Approach to Immigration Reform

(June 30, 2010) Few people who really understand the immigration and jobs issue believe that securing the border first is the only way to solve the immigration problem. Arizona's S.B. 1070 reflects the demand that government do "something" to deal with the problem. However, "do something" shouldn't mean "do anything" and "do anything" shouldn't mean "do the first thing that comes to mind." Government should act but do so intelligently and consider the economic and social ramifications of their efforts. Unfortunately, there is little of that consideration of the impacts of their actions taking place in the halls of state government around the U.S. in the wake of S.B. 1070.

There is an alternative concept that seems to resonate with voters and one that we put out for the the public to consider. We think it deals with nearly all of the major concerns the public has for security and management of the border and addressing business needs of labor. Here it is in a nutshell:

1. At major border crossings, built "Ellis Island-like" centers where those who want to come to work in the U.S. must go to enter the country. These centers become "the front door."
2. At these centers, immigrants find jobs, have their backgrounds and health checked, obtain proper work visas, are given proper tax and ID documents, and can only enter when all steps have been completed
3. Employers must certify to the Federal government they cannot find sufficient or qualifed citizen employees and advertise those jobs on Internet-based jobs sites. This gives workers and citizens the opportunity to see where jobs are available, the rate of pay and the ability to apply online before heading to the border. It provide Congress with information on the types of jobs for which there is insufficient supply and can adjust visa rates according to market conditions rather than arbitrary historical quotas.
4. Rather than pay coyotes $2,500 - $3,500 and risk their lives, immigrants will pay Uncle Sam to expedite their visa applications and use those funds to finance operations of the centers. Given the purported number of immigrants coming to the U.S., this will raise billions of dollars and take the burden for running these centers off the back of the U.S. taxpayer and onto the back of the people using the service.
5. Among the benefits to this solution are eliminating the need for anyone to sneak into the country illegally; self-funds operations of the centers through fees paid by immigrants; denies access to undesireables with past criminal records; allows the Border Patrol to focus on the real bad guys; and stimulates economic development on both sides of the border wherever these centers are located.

Everyone we've talked to, ranging from pro-SB1070 supporters to business owners to Latino groups like it. For some reason we can't get the politicians to listen. Maybe it's because they didn't think of it or they're too far down the road of what they're working on to listen or they're too afraid of the issue. But polls show Americans want a solution, not more of the same, old "secure the border" rhetoric or policies.

Download the concept summary and let us know what you think by sending an email to info@azeir.org or post a comment on our Facebook page. Better yet, call your Senator or Congressman or state representatives and tell them about it and ask why they won't consider it. Trying to go in the front door hasn't worked, maybe we need to use the back door. Isn't that ironic?

SB1070 Storm Warnings Ignored

AZEIR President Sheridan Bailey discusses the problems with SB1070 and how the business community attempted to warn Arizona's legislators about the likely ramifications of passage with Arizona Republic columnist E. J. Montini.

AZEIR Statement on Signing of SB1070 by Gov. Brewer

Governor Brewer’s signing of SB1070 is a low point in Arizona history. Personal political ambitions have produced a law in reckless disregard of economic and social consequences, a law that will harm children, families, communities and business development while draining resources from law enforcement and the public treasury.

Sold as “necessary for our survival,” the bill does nothing to curb Border violence. Worst of all, the codification of ethnic profiling drives a wedge between the white majority and the Latino minority in our state, sending an ugly message about Arizona to the rest of the world.

The proponents of this bill have falsified crime statistics and blamed undocumented migrant workers with all sorts of exaggerated claims in order to get their way. And, with the stroke of her pen, the Governor will hand state power over to the mechanics of bigotry and oppression.

These developments show that we cannot trust the current political system in Arizona to produce sensible policies and good government. Therefore, we Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform have committed ourselves to begin the reform of this system in the coming election by our dedicated and strenuous support of political candidates, be they Republicans, Democrats or Independents, who will restore our legislature to sanity.

SB1070 Passes Senate, Sent to Governor Brewer

Arizona's State Senate agreed to the House Amendments to SB1070 and then passed the bill 17-11, largely along party lines. The only Republican to vote against the bill was Scottsdale Republican Carolyn Allen. Governor Brewer is expected to sign the bill into law within the next five days.

Bill Text: PDF

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What Are The Economic Impacts of Arizona's Immigration Laws?

AZEIR President Sheridan Bailey on MSNBC's "Your Business."

(July 11, 2010) The state of Arizona has become the center of the illegal immigration debate. SB1070, a controversial piece of legislation requiring stricter enforcement of anti-immigration laws, is expected to go into effect in Arizona on July 29th, and small business owners are bracing for the changes that may come with it. AZEIR President Sheridan Bailey was interviewed for this story and appears throughout the segment.