Once it was the go to place for illegal immigrants, but all that started changing years ago for California. More than a decade ago, illegal immigrants shifted their preference to Arizona. The result of that is now being felt in the state, prompting it to take drastic measures such as the new law against illegal immigration.

The last 12 years have seen a steady decline in new illegal immigrants to the State of California. There are several key reasons for this. Increased security measure by the border patrol is one of those reasons. Eighteen foot barriers, increased staffing and newer & better access roads to remote areas have all helped to police the border better. But other than the physical barriers another big deterrent has been the financial factor. A deteriorating economy in California has made it harder for illegal immigrants to find jobs in the state. This has been perhaps the most influential factor in the decline of the influx of illegal immigrants.

However, Californian authorities are fearful that the twelve year old trend might be reversed in light of the new Arizona law. They are of the opinion that the new law might prompt illegal immigrants to once again turn towards The Golden State. If that happens, California could face an increase in drug smuggling. Although two-thirds of the Californian border has been covered with fencing and staffing has been boosted to over 3,500 personnel over the years, authorities admit that the border is by no means airtight.

The new Arizona law combatting illegal immigration has drawn fire from many groups. It is such a crucial issue that it is already affecting the stance politicians ahead of the elections this year. Although it the impression is that most people are opposed to the law, a new poll suggests otherwise.

The Quinnipiac University Poll has turned up the surprising result that almost half of those surveyed would like an Arizona style law implemented in their own state. Specifically 48 percent are in favor as opposed to 35 percent. A majority of those surveyed thought that the law would help in reducing illegal immigration. However, the opinion was split in certain age demographics. 18 to 24 year olds opposed any Arizona like-law, whereas the 35 and above age group were in favor of it.

President Barack Obama himself is opposed to the law and has openly said so. The Justice Department has also been exploring all possibilities of legal challenges. Constant protests by groups have also started to gather steam. However, it seems likely that more laws similar to the Arizona option will spring up. This is mainly due to the ineffective immigration laws that are currently in place. Unless the President succeeds in implementing comprehensive immigration reform in the near future, more states will follow suit. As Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said in defense of the law, her state had to act proactively due to the failure of the federal government to address the immigration issue and help Arizona find a solution for its border problems.

Senator John McCain is under fire from students to reverse his decision on illegal immigration. Over the years the Senator has always sponsored bills aimed at legalizing students who are children of illegal immigrants. However, this year McCain has switched tracks and has not offered any support.
This is widely believed to stem from the threat he faces from J.D. Hayworth, his primary challenger. Hayworth is a talk show host and is a firm believer in tougher laws against illegal immigrants.

Dressed in Cap and Gowns, five immigrant students held a sit-in at McCain’s office on Monday in Tucson. They want him to go back to supporting legislation that will help young illegal immigrants find a way to legal status. Police arrested four of the five protestors on charges of misdemeanor trespassing. Three of those arrested were illegal immigrants and are due to face deportation proceedings.

The students want the Senator to support the Dream Act in particular as they do not have the confidence that broader overhauls to the immigration laws are on the horizon. The Democrats have already incorporated the student’s bill in their proposition for an overhaul.

The students were not the only ones unhappy about the new immigrations law. A fifth lawsuit challenging the new Arizona law was filed on Monday. It is believed that this particular suit has the greatest opportunity of being heard in court. This is because the suit has been filed by a coalition formed of religious, labor and civil rights groups.

There are two ways to look at the new Arizona law which aims to stamp out illegal immigration. The good thing about it is that it presents a solution, however controversial, to a long standing problem. The bad thing about it is that it sets precedent for other states which is financially ill timed.

Americans like to be paid and paid well. When it comes to construction jobs, farming jobs and other menial tasks Americans want no part of it because it pays little for the amount of work done. For example, picking strawberries on acres and acres of land for $10 a day (the minimum amount stipulated by the government) is something that no one wants to do.

With the recession hitting the U.S. very hard, many construction companies and farmers are struggling to pay even the minimum rate. This is where illegal immigrants have proved to be a godsend. They do not bargain on wages and do everything that is required. Although this is really an abuse of worker’s rights, it is unfortunately what has been powering the nation for many years.

If more laws like the Arizona law come into place, then employers have no choice but to pay increased wages to their workers. This in turn drives up the cost of the finished product. Again, the recession comes into play here. First of all people don’t have the money to pay the increased cost of goods and second, with a lack of sales production is not justified at the increased cost.

While it may seem a callous way of looking at the situation, the reality is that America needs its illegal immigrants – at least until it is well and truly out of the recession period.

Illegal immigrants in the state of Arizona are close to being dealt a crushing blow. The state House has already passed a bill which takes an extremely tough stance against any illegal immigrants residing within the state. The bill now awaits passage in the Senate which, unfortunately for any illegal immigrants, is a foregone conclusion.

The bill has several major provisions which may be controversial. They are as follows:

1. All immigrants will be forced to carry identification to prove their immigration status in the country. Failure to do so results in a misdemeanor charge.

2. Officers can arrest those who are not able to prove that they are in the country legally.

3. Any sanctuary rules and soft immigration policies that hinder immigration law enforcement are now banned.

4. Day laborers cannot impede traffic in their efforts to seek work.

5. Transporting illegal immigrants while having knowledge of their illegal status in the country is now an offence.

If the Senate passes the bill it will come to the desk of Republican Gov. Jan Brewer. Brewer can then decide whether to veto it, sign it OR let it through without her signature. This is where the news gets worse for illegal immigrants. The CAN be enacted even without the Governor’s signature. With the elections just around the corner, this is the route the Brewer is expected to take. However, Brewer has so far not committed to the course of action she will take. Re-election maybe tricky for the Governor as the Latino community has threatened to vote to get her out office in the upcoming elections if she fails to veto the bill.

Douglas, Arizona is in shock over the killing of rancher Robert Krentz by a suspected illegal immigrant. The Arizona region has turned into a hotbed for illicit human trafficking and the drug trade due to strict enforcement conducted in other border states. The murder of Krentz could be the catalyst for sweeping changes in the handling of border security and immigration.

Krentz was known as a kindly soul who helped those in trouble while crossing the border. Although he did not actively encourage or help people cross the border, he did offer assistance to those he encountered on his property on a purely humanitarian basis. The rancher had been travelling in his all-terrain vehicle and working on his property last week when the incident occurred. Krentz had been in contact with his brother at the time over the radio and was heard to say the words “illegal alien” and “hurt”. Nothing untoward was suspected by the brother at the time as he assumed that Krentz was helping someone who was crossing the ranch.

However, as the rancher failed to show up at noon at the stipulated meeting point the brother first raised the alarm with the family who helped search for Krentz and then informed the authorities. Krentz’s body was later spotted by a helicopter close to midnight. The rancher had been shot dead and his dog, too, had been shot although not fatally. A set of tracks from the scene of the crime led authorities for 20 miles before it crossed over the Mexican border. As yet, no motive is known for the killing.