AZ gets tough

[desertrat]

They just passed a new law targeting employers of undocumented workers.
Way to go.Story

Gov. Janet Napolitano on Monday signed sweeping legislation against employers of undocumented workers, targeting the state's market for illegal labor with what she called "the most aggressive action in the country."

The penalty for violators: the suspension of a business license on the first violation and permanent revocation on a second, amounting to a death sentence for repeat offenders.

 

[Kerad]

"It's time for the states to start stepping up and stop waiting for Congress."

 

[This_person]

They just passed a new law targeting employers of undocumented workers.
Way to go.Story

I've read the Constitution a few times (I think we all should), and I sort of remembered a few things about immigration, but not really much. So, I looked it over after reading this quote from a critic quoted in the article:

Phoenix employment attorney Julie Pace said that challenge will assert that Arizona has overstepped its authority by moving into the arena of immigration law. The U.S. Constitution gives power over immigration policy to the federal government.

Article One, Section 8 says "Congress shall have the power to....establish a uniform rule of naturalization." Okay, that pretty much says the federal government gets to decide whether or not someone is here legally. I'll buy that. And, they've done that. And, the law AZ is talking about is addressing those businesses who hire and retain people who are not here legally, not the illegal aliens themselves.

So, what else does it say? Article One, Section 9 says, "The migration or importation of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think proper to admit shall not be prohibited by Congress prior to 1808, but a tax or duty may be imposed..." So, the "importation" of people is not what we're talking about, that was outlawed around 1863, by the first Republican president. But, it talks about migration of people shall not be limited by Congress until after 1808. Again, the law addresses the businesses, not the illegal migration of people, so I'm not sure how this fits.

What else can we say about the Constitution.... Amendment 10: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states , are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." Hmm, that one sounds like the most important one here. If Congress doesn't have the specific power listed in the Constitution, they don't have that power. The states and/or the people do.

Wonder what ol' Julie Pace has to say about that.

Here is a link to read the Constitution.

 

[awpitt]

I've read the Constitution a few times (I think we all should), and I sort of remembered a few things about immigration, but not really much. So, I looked it over after reading this quote from a critic quoted in the article:Article One, Section 8 says "Congress shall have the power to....establish a uniform rule of naturalization." Okay, that pretty much says the federal government gets to decide whether or not someone is here legally. I'll buy that. And, they've done that. And, the law AZ is talking about is addressing those businesses who hire and retain people who are not here legally, not the illegal aliens themselves.

So, what else does it say? Article One, Section 9 says, "The migration or importation of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think proper to admit shall not be prohibited by Congress prior to 1808, but a tax or duty may be imposed..." So, the "importation" of people is not what we're talking about, that was outlawed around 1863, by the first Republican president. But, it talks about migration of people shall not be limited by Congress until after 1808. Again, the law addresses the businesses, not the illegal migration of people, so I'm not sure how this fits.

What else can we say about the Constitution.... Amendment 10: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states , are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." Hmm, that one sounds like the most important one here. If Congress doesn't have the specific power listed in the Constitution, they don't have that power. The states and/or the people do.

Wonder what ol' Julie Pace has to say about that.

Here is a link to read the Constitution.

Good assessment and good for AZ.