Sensible immigration policy: saved by the veto
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is a politician after LAPD Chief William Bratton's heart. The governor vetoed a bill Monday that would have required police departments to, as the NY Times put it, "join the federal immigration posse." The governor's merciless pen has received mixed reviews, but it's no surprise. The two-term governor holds her state's record for most vetoes issued.
As noted here a few weeks ago, the bill had an interesting parallel to Los Angeles' current drama over Special Order 40, the LAPD directive that bars officers from stopping people "for the sole purpose of asking about immigration status." The order came under fire when high school football star Jamiel Shaw was gunned down, allegedly by an illegal immigrant, but Bratton has defended the policy to the hilt — and rightly so, according to The Times:
The order was adopted in the late 1970s by then-Chief Daryl F. Gates, hardly a soft-on-crime liberal, who knew that the LAPD would be more effective if undocumented witnesses and victims felt free to speak with officers without fearing deportation.... It was good policy then and remains so today.
The governor didn't actually pull the "crimefighting" card herself when she vetoed it:
Napolitano, a Democrat, had been urged to reject House Bill 2807 by Latino activists who feared the measure would lead to racial profiling and further alienate the Latino community. But Napolitano cited neither of those issues in vetoing the measure. Instead, she relied on fiscal concerns, noting a provision that would have required the state to pay for the training of local officers in immigration enforcement if federal funds were unavailable.
In fact, Napolitano has been very clear that this ain't no sanctuary state. In an Op-Ed for the Washington Post urging Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform last year, she wrote:
Don't label me soft on illegal immigration. As a U.S. attorney (predating the Gonzales Justice Department), I supervised the prosecution of more than 6,000 immigration felonies. I govern a state where, in 2005, there were 550,000 apprehensions of illegal immigrants. I declared a state of emergency at our border that year, and I was the first governor in the nation to call for assistance from the National Guard.
Okay then. In any case, go Janet!
EVERY STATE IN OUR GRAND UNION, NEEDS A FREE THINKING, TRUE PATRIOTIC COP LIKE JOE...?
He is not like squirming worms like Gov. Janet Napolitano, or LAPD Chief William Brattons who have been corrupted by pariah businesses and special interest lobby. Hopefully the American citizen use their vote, and throw these morons out of office and all the other timid lieutenants who cringe in dark corners, whenever another senseless death occurs at the hands of an illegal alien.
The streets are full of gangs that intimidate helpless people. This slime has crawled from the cesspools of foreign countries and have been allowed to thrive in once sparkling cities. Most citizens do not venture out on the streets of LA, because Mayors like Antonio Villaraigosa, could care less what happens on the streets unless he gets his picture taken in his numerous publicity stunts. Nor does Governor Schwarzenegger have little to say about the budget meltdown that Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, a Republican from Oceanside, said illegal immigrants cost California taxpayers an estimated $9 billion each year.
However Sheriff Joe does his job that many spineless police chiefs either refuse to do, or have been politically manipulated by the propagating special interest lobby.
This Maricopa County Sheriff has a hard-boiled old cop, who serves and protects and without anybody knowing he has probably saved lives from illegal alien criminals. Those prisoners in tent cities, or who are incarcerated elsewhere may have attacked some female in a dark alley, shot some innocent pedestrian from a gang-banger car, or slaughtered a whole family on the highway by an illegal drunk driver. No! Well go to the unsuppressed websites at the bottom of my warning message. Sheriff Arpaio's relentlessly drive to rid us of the illegal criminal element, or the millions who stole into our nation should be congratulated.
In California we need a Sheriff like Joe Arpaio's to rescind Special Order 40? ALL UNTAINTED POLITICIANS OUT THERE, NEED TO TAKE A PAGE FROM THIS SHERIFF IN ARIZONA! Their are a growing number of Sanctuary cities hidden behind dictates like Special Order 40. These directives are out of date for the mayhem that is going on in our neighborhoods. IF YOU LIKE THE STUNNING IMPACT THAT SHERIFF JOE IS HAVING ON YOUR COMMUNITIES,
HE IS A STEWART, FOLLOWER OF ARIZONA STATE LAW AND REACTS ACCORDINGLY, AND STRONGLY ENFORCES IT.
As our Los Angeles Mayor, The State Governor and all their faint-hearted disciples, would rather pander to the millions of illegal aliens squatting in the confines of the county, than allow the police and highway patrol to question their immigration status. Forget about the so-called advantages of Special Order 40. In truth its allowed heinous gangs to propagate, and kill innocent pedestrians who are not even involved in their cesspool of their activities. You can thank the previous police chief's for continuing this unholy police mandate, to overwhelm the lives of hundreds of victims, who now are markers in local cemeteries.
If California is remain a Sanctuary state, more than ever it's citizens and legal residents need to demand the Federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) from timid Democrats. It will not only hunt down with sweeps of internal (ICE) enforcement of our immigration laws, but it will even strengthen other states immigration laws. Illegal Immigrants will have nowhere to hide, and the Federal iron gauntlet will receive funding they need.
Democrats are placing obstacles in the way to derail this Congressional bill, because they are fully aware whoever enters the Oval Office will author a gigantic AMNESTY.
Not only will taxpayers be supporting the illegal aliens already squatting on our shores, but we will lose control of the following floods of poor humanity stealing across our border. If Americans insist that Democrats sponsor the SAVE ACT (H.R.4088), the illegal foreign nationals, will leave at their own accord. They will self-Deport home or face the consequences. Once jobs are no longer available because parasite employers are being heavily fined, having their business assets confiscated or even finding themselves in a prison cell.
Illegal immigration is all encompassing your Jobs and economic growth, energy independence, health care access, education and an overcrowded prison system. All these issues are impacted by the 12 to 30 million illegal immigration invasion.
Posted by: Brittanicus | April 30, 2008 at 10:18 PM
I'm glad I don't live in California.
Posted by: Johnathan McIntosh | May 01, 2008 at 03:52 AM
I fail to see why anyone would applaud a Governor, usurping the will of the public, and undermining enforcement of immigration laws? What part of "will of the people" does Governor Napolitano not understand?
Posted by: Ed Weirdness | May 01, 2008 at 09:09 AM
The governor's veto wasn't really about the cost. It was about the governor's political party and hispanic groups wanting amnesty and open border policies.
Posted by: chatmandu | May 01, 2008 at 09:48 AM