By Sergio Arellano-Oros
Arizona’s leaders are weighing on the “gang of eight’s” immigration reform efforts. They are saying that they are concerned, but it is a “good start.”
As predicted, the “Gang of Eight’s” plan will not satisfy some democratic lawmakers who demand full and immediate amnesty for over 12 million undocumented entrants. However some in Arizona’s democrat leadership are supportive.
House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix said the “legislation put forth by the U.S. senators is a reasonable and fair place to start the debate about immigration reform. It is my hope that the Senate will take quick action on this bill.”
Campbell said that there “are some portions of the 844-page bill that I am concerned about, there are sections that provide common-sense reforms. The bill outlines a reasonable pathway to earned citizenship so hard working people across this country can pursue the American dream. That component is an absolute necessity for any legitimate comprehensive immigration reform plan. It also improves the security of our border and accountability for those employers who are breaking the law.”
“Overall this legislation tackles the big issues facing our country and our communities in Arizona,” Campbell concluded in a statement released this week. “ It’s a great starting point and I am optimistic that Washington, D.C. is finally going to take real and fair action to address our broken immigration system.”
Chairman of the Arizona Latino Caucus Rep. Martin Quezada, D- Phoenix (District 29), said he was “pleased” with the bipartisan group of U.S. senators’ efforts. He said, “It is an emotional and complex issue that affects every state, especially Arizona. It is good that we finally have a starting point for this important debate.
“Although some of the provisions are troubling, I support efforts to create common-sense reforms. No immigration reform proposal would have been acceptable if it had failed to include a reasonable pathway to citizenship,” said Quezada in a statement released this week. “We must find a way to provide fair citizenship opportunities for students, immigrant workers and their families. The bill affirms that an estimated 11 million immigrants would be given the chance to legalize their status with a new visa that will create a registered provisional immigrant status.”
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced his support for effort, arguing that the nation is ready for it. At a media event held by Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform, a national coalition of business, law enforcement and faith leaders, Montgomery said he was happy to see the effort emanating from DC and not from states like Arizona, according to the Yellow Sheet.
The Yellow Sheet reported that attendees to the event said the country’s mood has shifted in favor of a comprehensive immigration solution, including a path to citizenship, partly because the issue was pushed to the forefront in last year’s elections, and now is the time to strike. “In recognizing that this is just the start, it is encouraging that the legislation addresses key points of border security, visa reform, employment verification and interior enforcement, as well as the difficult aspect of addressing the population of those present in the United States without legal authority,” Montgomery said.
Joining Montgomery were former Phoenix City Police Chief Jack Harris, and Rev. Warren Stewart of the First Institutional Baptist Church. Stewart said a comprehensive plan is “the right thing to do biblically.’ Stewart, who is running for a seat on the Phoenix City council, said the faith community is “virtually united” that a comprehensive immigration proposal is needed to “bring justice, to bring fairness, to bring peace.”
Senator Anna Tovar said the “nation took a first step toward finally addressing the failures of our immigration system with the introduction of the Gang of Eight’s compromise proposal. I will be studying this proposal in greater detail, but I am encouraged to see it address key issues such as law enforcement, a path to legalization, business needs and, most importantly, keeping families united. I commend Senators McCain and Flake for this bipartisan effort and I look forward to working on this issue as it moves forward.”