President Obama may have been too far away on the campaign trail in Iowa today, but that didn't stop Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer from her latest finger-wagging media stunt of state's rights defiance.
Once again placing Arizona at the forefront of political posturing at the expense of immigrants, right-wing "superhero" Brewer issued a fairly inconsequential but incendiary executive order reminding state agencies that today's beginning of the federal Deferred Action program for undocumented youth "does not provide for any additional public benefit to unlawfully present aliens."
Especially if those aliens want driver's licenses. Arizona laws already prohibit undocumented residents from accessing driver's licenses or public benefits.
In a total disregard for the documented economic and social benefits from Obama's Deferred Action for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, Brewer's order railed about 80,000 potential recipients in the state, including some "unlawfully present aliens inappropriately gaining access to public benefits contrary to the intent of Arizona voters."
Two months ago, Brewer drew statewide condemnation for her hastily called press conference on the president's deferred action announcement, which she framed as an "amnesty."
In a released statement, the Phoenix-based Puente human rights group blasted Brewer for her timing and actions:
Once again, [Brewer] has stood on the wrong side of history by implementing anti-immigrant policies and directly contradicting federal mandates related to immigration. By taking public action against President Obama's policy that will potentially grant work permits to over one million undocumented young people, Brewer has once again put Arizona's name on the map as the epicenter of anti-immigrant racism and hate.
Strangely enough, Brewer and Arizona's right-wing politicos have their own issues with driver's licenses and following the law; in 1988, Brewer failed sobriety tests after a car accident in Phoenix.
Then a state senator, Brewer received immunity from arrest and prosecution.
Arizona Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2004
http://www.naswaz.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=202
12 States have similar state laws denying state public benefits to illegals ~
Arizona ~ 2004
Colorado ~ 2006
Idaho ~ 2007
Utah ~ 2008
Nebraska ~ 2009
Oklahoma ~ 2007
Missouri ~ 2007
Indiana ~ 2011
Alabama ~ 2011
Virginia ~ 2005
South Carolina ~ 2008
Georgia ~ 2006
http://www.nilc.org/states-wrapup-2011.html
Appears ~ the one-sided benefits for illegals, only ~ is not resonating with the U.S. Taxpayers
The USA is having the exact same voter fraud problem with the 500,000+ illegals, whom have been issued valid/legal Driver's Licenses, since 2003 by the States of Utah, New Mexico & Washington
Remember ~ voter registration is automatic when obtaining a Driver's License, via the Motor Voter Registration Act of 1993
Young illegal foreigners protested and marched demanding that they just be given a chance to stay and go to school or work.
So a law was set aside for them. Nobody declared them innocent, only allowed to stay and work.
It says in the memo "This memorandum confers no substantive right, immigration status or pathway to citizenship. Only the Congress, acting through its legislative authority, can confer these rights."
But now there are cries that it is "racist" and "hateful" to deny them all the benefits of having followed the law or being a citizen.
Most states deny licences to unregistered foreign nationals. This work permit doesn't change that status. And as Obama said, changing that is outside his power. If he tries he would stand for impeachment.
Social benefits are denied to foreigners, legal or illegal. For that to change, Justice will need to sue Agriculture.
It will be some time yet before Latin nations are ready to sue our Federal government for having laws at all, but it's coming. It takes time short of war to erode another nation's sovereignty. Now that illegal foreigners have one thing they said they wanted, they demand it all, right now. That attitude should be telling of what they are really after.
She was a state senator at the time and "immune from prosecution." I bet her insurance company wasn't immune from paying for her gross negligence.
The self-righteous right is most guilty of one hypocrisy after another!
She has done more to hurt tourism and business growth in this state than any other state leader in history. Something needs to change either her or our desire to reelect her to represent all of the people of the state of Arizona.
This is proven by the fact that since they left it is very difficult to find anyone to do these jobs and if the industry picks up it will not be able to keep up no matter how much they were paying since it is not the kind of work amercians like to do.
I get it that Brewer et al would like us to beleive they are protecting us from some sort of invasion however if any right thinking person check he will find that the truth is much different than the lies we are being told .
Sort of like the respect shown by immigrating to this country illegally?
The law remains the law and this is in no way new or a surprise since DOJ clarified this all months ago in the case of Sergio Garcia who was trying to get a license to practice law in California. This is just another typical puerile ad hominem attack on someone with whom you do not agree.