Immigration

Ward 6 Roast: From immigration reform to potholes, politicians answer voter questions (videos)

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K-r-g-b-712-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

Although gun enthusiasts threatened to disrupt last week's Ward 6 Roast, the event featuring a dozen politicians who represent midtown/downtown Tucson came off without a hitch. 

Organized by City Councilman Steve Kozachik and moderated by political cartoonist and commentator David Fitzsimmons, the roast featured local, state, and federal politicians answering questions from the audience, which numbered about 400. Rather than severely edit nearly two hours of video, I have created separate videos for candidate introductions, the immigration reform question, the gun violence question, the F35 question, and the neighborhoods/roads questions. Watch the first three videos after the jump. More to come.

For me, the biggest surprise of the evening– besides how outnumbered former State Legislator Frank Antenori and the gun nuts were– was Congressman Ron Barber. Check out his responses to the questions on immigration reform and gun violence; he sounds far less Republican than he has in the past on those issues. 

Geography, Roads and Consequences

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By Karl Reiner

Geography and road systems influence economic and military events.  In the summer of 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee made the decision to consolidate his army in a small southern Pennsylvania town where roads intersected.  His decision had major consequences.  It resulted in a battle that changed the course of the Civil War and made Gettysburg into a national landmark. 

Infrastructure development played an important role as China became the world's second largest economy.  Its massive road building program China Signis on track to complete over 52,000 miles of expressways by 2020.  Another 167,000 miles of rural roads will have been newly constructed or rebuilt.  The road building program is government managed and financed.  The program is years ahead of China Hwyschedule, stressing domestic supplies.  China produces about 16 million tons of asphalt a year while it uses 20 million tons.  Imports have to make up the shortfall.

The lack of roads can serve sinister purposes.  The rolling desert country southwest of Tucson is sparsely populated.  Down Rt. 286, about 70 miles from Tucson, is the border port of entry at Sasabe.  The small town of El Sasabe, Sonora sits across the border.  Approximately 60 miles farther south is Altar with a population of about 8,000.

New US immigration report reveals ‘formidable’ & expensive machinery to secure border

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Brownskin-201x300by Pamela Powers Hannley

A detailed new report release by the Migration Policy Institute reveals the sophistication and cost– both human and monetary– of the United States' immigration policy in recent years.

According to the nearly 200-page report, the US system is based upon 6 pillars: border enforcement; visa controls and travel screening; information and interoperability of data systems; workplace enforcement; intersection between criminal justice system and immigration enforcement; and detention and removal of noncitizens. Each area is described in detail. 

The report includes a wealth of information about the intricacies of the Department of Homeland Security and how immigration enforcement intersects with the criminal justice system, the FBI, and the CIA. Probably the most dramatic finding is:

The US government spends more on its immigration enforcement agencies than on all its other principal criminal federal law enforcement agencies combined. In FY 2012, spending for CBP [Customs and Border Protection], ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], and US-VISIT reached nearly $18 billion. This amount exceeds by approximately 24 percent total spending for the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Secret Service, US Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which stood at $14.4 billion in FY 2012.

Judging by resource levels, case volumes, and enforcement actions…immigration enforcement can thus be seen to rank as the federal government's highest criminal law enforcement priority.

Whoa. More key findings after the jump.

The Economic Ramifications of SB 1070

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By Karl Reiner

Unhappy with federal efforts and unfazed by the recession, the Arizona legislature decided to get the state involved in immigration policing.Texas 2  It ignored the fact that state and local enforcement of immigration laws might hinder the federal government's ability to set priorities and burden local police forces.

The state legislature crafted a broad and anti-illegal immigration measure. It was based on a model drafted by the Federation for American Immigration Reform.  Despite warnings from various groups regarding a host of unwelcome consequences, SB 1070 was signed into law in April 2010.

The Revitalization of Mexico

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By Karl Reiner

Through September 2012, Arizona's exports to Mexico were running $415 million ahead of last year's level.  Almost unnoticed by Arizona's politicians, Mexico is changing in ways that will benefit the state's economy.  It may be time for political leaders to rethink their view of the country across the border.

The U.S.-Mexican border is the world's busiest.  Border crossings have slowed because of security considerations and port of entry Mex 5 12bottlenecks.  Some of Arizona's politicians seem to like it that way.  The undervaluing of trade and the fear of migrants has led the  legislature to pass such controversial legislation as SB 1070.