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Flake, Pearce Argue Immigration Policy

By Dennis Durband, Editor

State and federal elected officials squared off over the issue of illegal immigration during the recent Legislative District 22 meeting in Gilbert. Cong. Jeff Flake defended the controversial guest worker bill that he, along with Sen. John McCain and Cong. Jim Kolbe, are co-sponsoring. State Rep. Russell Pearce criticized the bill and the federal government's unwillingness to control the border, and spoke in the support of the popular Protect Arizona Now (PAN) petition.

The three Arizona congressmen introduced their bill in July, in an attempt to license and document foreign workers seeking employment in the United States. The legislation proposes to create two new visa categories for temporary alien workers: one applying to foreigners wanting to enter the U.S. legally and the other is for illegal aliens already in the U.S. The bill penalizes those who are already here illegally by requiring them to pay $1,500 for the right to participate in the temporary worker program. The bill would create an electronic job registry. The so-called guest workers would be required to carry a "smart card" visa to prove their employment eligibility. The bill has drawn scorn from conservatives, who believe the program rewards aliens for breaking the law and that there will be abuses in the proposed system.

Cong. Flake left the meeting after his remarks, prior to Rep. Pearce's rebuttal.

In supporting his co-sponsorship of a guest worker bill, Flake said, "We have a huge problem here. There are 7-14 million illegal aliens in the United States, and many are drawing benefits. States like Arizona take it in the shorts. We have healthcare and education needs not accounted for. We've beefed up border enforcement eight times since 1987. What has it gotten us? The average stay for illegals has gone from 2.2 years to nine years and people are four times more likely now to bring their families. It's tougher to cross the border, and they only want to do it once and put down roots. We cannot seal the border. We need a process for the people working here to go home. Some term it amnesty; I don't agree. This bill imposes a $1,500 fine. If their employer doesn't want them, there is a substantial penalty for being here. We must have a program for those here now."

Pearce responded: "This (guest worker) bill is an amnesty program. We have one million people coming in illegally every year. The government has failed miserably to secure the borders, resulting in destruction of neighborhoods, the health system and burdening the criminal justice system. The federal government needs to do something. We are a nation of law and sovereignty. You just can't open the floodgates. Illegal aliens are 300 percent more likely than a U.S. citizen to be on welfare. We have a terrible problem with voter fraud going on in this country. An El Mirage city council candidate was an illegal, and her illegal friends voted for her. AHCCCS grew by 500 percent, from $200 million to $1.2 billion. Part of it is fraudulent use of your tax dollars. There were 500,000 names on the voter rolls that could not be verified. (Former Sec. of State) Betsey Bayless and the Democrats encouraged it. Sixty-eight different nationalities have been identified illegally crossing the border. These are your communities and your tax dollars being used."

Pearce cited several statewide opinion polls in which citizens of Arizona overwhelming support the Protect Arizona Now (PAN) initiative for the 2004 election ballot. The GOPUSA/Arizona poll showed the highest support for PAN, with 96 percent of more than 700 respondents in favor of it. The KAET poll showed 70 percent for PAN.

"Why in the world would our Republican leadership not stand behind it (PAN)?" Pearce asked. "I've done 20 petitions and not had one person turn me down."

Coordinators of the PAN effort must secure 122,000 petition names in order to get the initiative on next year's ballot.