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Interfaith Group Praises
“Real Immigration Reform”
in McCain-Kennedy Bill
Bipartisan Measure Outshines AZ
Legislature’s “Piecemeal” Approach
May 12, 2005
Phoenix, AZ – Finally, Arizonans got their first look at a real immigration reform package today when Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) introduced the “Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act.” According to clergy members from around the state of Arizona, the bipartisan measure is something all Arizonans can get behind, in stark contrast to the Arizona Legislature’s recent half-baked attempts to stop illegal immigration.
“Our state needs immigration reform, but it’s certainly not going to happen with our Legislature’s partisan piecemeal approach of setting up new barricades,” said Dick White, President of the Arizona Interfaith Network. “It’s going to take a comprehensive and bipartisan approach, and the Arizona Interfaith Network believes this national bill is a good start.”
Within the last week, Gov. Napolitano vetoed two of the Republican-controlled Legislature’s anti-immigrant measures: SB 1511, which tried to limit “acceptable” forms of identification so that even passports wouldn’t be recognized for emergency and other public services, and SB 1167, which would have prohibited Spanish speakers from receiving government correspondence, like water bills and voter guides, in the only language they can read. The Arizona Interfaith Network opposed both pieces of legislation and requested the Governor’s veto.
While the Arizona Legislature has been busy passing bills with unintended consequences that do nothing to stop illegal immigration at our border, the McCain-Kennedy bill takes a more far-reaching approach. First, the bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to develop a comprehensive plan to enhance border security. Then, the bill creates new rules for students, workers, and their families who want to be in this country legally. For example, a new three year temporary-worker plan for low-wage, low-skilled workers would be renewable one time and would eliminate the backlog within 5 to 6 years. The McCain-Kennedy measure helps keep family units together by increasing visas for family members and provides new funding to help them learn English and American civics lessons. And the bill offers reimbursements to the state for imprisonment of undocumented immigrants and reimbursement to hospitals for their care of the undocumented.
AIN is part of a national coalition called the New American Opportunity Campaign that is “tired of waiting, tired of false promises,” and is actively lobbying and challenging national leaders to start moving on real immigration reform. AIN is also building alliances with business leaders who are also calling for real immigration reform.
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