This November, Arizonans will consider The ballot measure would make illegal crossing of the Arizona-Mexico border a state crime. If passed, law enforcement will authorized By arresting people suspected of crossing the border illegally, state judges will be able to order deportations.
Resolution 2060 passed by the House of Representatives at the same time Passed The Arizona House of Representatives voted 31 to 29 on a party-line vote yesterday. debate Arizona “is being ‘actually invaded’ within the meaning of Article I, Section 10 of the United States Constitution.” In addition to authorizing the state’s law enforcement to arrest undocumented immigrants who enter Arizona illegally, HCR 2060 also imposes penalties on those identified by the federal E-Verify program as “providing false documents to obtain public benefits or evade workplace eligibility testing.” It also strengthens penalties for people whose sales of fentanyl result in death.
Those crossing the border illegally for the first time Face misdemeanor charges under HCR 2060, punishable The maximum penalty is six months in prison. Those previously convicted of border crossing violations will face felony charges and may face several years In prison. State and local officials or employees will be “immune from liability for damages resulting from actions taken pursuant to the law.”
If approved by voters in November, HCR 2060 would take effect 60 days after a Texas bill, Senate Bill 4, takes effect. Arizona’s HCR 2060 is largely modeled after Texas’ SB 4: Both would make illegal border crossing a national crime, and both would provide immunity to officials responsible for enforcing the law. Both have raised widespread concerns about the economic, legal and social consequences.
“HCR 2060 is harmful and an attack on the business community,” former Arizona Republican Sen. Bob Worsley, co-chair of the American Business Immigration Coalition Action, said in a statement. “This measure is not only harmful but an attack on the business community.” It undermines the stability and growth of our businesses and fails to recognize the contributions of long-time, hard-working immigrants.”
The Grand Canyon Institute is a nonpartisan think tank. estimated it can cost Arizona spends $325 million annually to implement HCR 2060. -Verify provisions based on estimates of how many undocumented persons may be targeted for prosecution and detention. (Arizona already faces a $1.3 billion budget deficit, arizona mirror have point out.)
A Report A report prepared by the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee lists three main fiscal impacts. First, state and local law enforcement spending will increase to pay for arrests, prosecutions and incarcerations. Second, while “state and local public welfare and education spending” may decline, “state and local governments may incur higher administrative costs.” Third, lower immigration rates will reduce tax revenues at the state and local levels.
critic HCR 2060 warn it can lead Compare this bill to SB 1070 from 2010, which required Police investigated people’s immigration status and made it a national crime to be in the United States illegally. (Some lawmakers who disagree with this concern tip The bill requires police to have “reasonable grounds” before arresting someone. Report The Associated Press noted that “the legal and compliance costs required to reform the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office” are expected to reach $314 million in 2020.
Arizona’s HCR 2060 is one of several recently introduced state-level immigration bills. While courts will weigh the legality of those passing Texas, Iowaand OklahomaArizona voters will directly decide whether their state joins the crackdown — despite the economic and social damage it could cause.
