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Economy weighs on midterms
Tough economic times and aggressive campaigning by the Republicans weigh heavy on President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. Follow Reuters for complete analysis, opinion and polls ahead of the November midterm elections. Full Coverage
Activists rally for Arizona immigration law
A demonstrator shows his support of tougher immigration legislation in front of the state capitol building in Phoenix, Arizona, July 29, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Rick Scuteri
PHOENIX, Arizona |
PHOENIX, Arizona (Reuters) - A few hundred supporters of a new Arizona law that cracks down on illegal immigrants rallied in central Phoenix Saturday, as tensions over the measure simmered.
Around 200 to 300 activists from several states, some with placards that read "No amnesty" and "Secure our borders now," gathered outside the state capitol to support the law, a weakened version of which came into effect Thursday.
"We are here to fully support Arizona, support the Arizona citizens and support the United States citizens who would benefit from a similar law across the nation," said Katrina Pierson, 34, a conservative Tea Party activist who traveled from Texas to attend the event.
Arizona's Republican-controlled legislature passed the measure three months ago to try to drive nearly half a million illegal immigrants from the state and stem the flow of human and drug smugglers over the border from Mexico.
It drew wide popular support in Arizona and across the United States but was opposed by President Barack Obama and human rights groups. A federal judge blocked the most intrusive elements hours before it came into effect.
Tensions over the law have inflamed a decades-long debate over immigration, which is playing into elections in November as Obama's Democrats fight to retain control of Congress.
A few dozen Hispanic and rights activists staged a counter protest Saturday. Supporters and opponents of the Arizona law shouted at one another across a police line but there were no arrests.
Wednesday, U.S. District Court judge Susan Bolton blocked the law's most controversial elements, arguing that immigration matters are the federal government's responsibility. The ruling handed a victory to Obama, who is trying to take control of the issue.
Lawyers for Arizona and Republican Governor Jan Brewer asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to lift an injunction on the law and grant a swift appeal. The court denied the request for an expedited hearing Friday and set a November court date.
"I think the governor should take this appeal right the way to the Supreme Court," said Anita Hynds, a retiree who traveled from Orange County, California, for the rally.
Saturday, Obama warned U.S. leaders not to use the divisive issue of illegal immigration as a way to gain power and name recognition, in an interview with CBS television.
(Reporting by Tim Gaynor; Editing by John O'Callaghan)
A significant majority of Americans support AZ and its SB 1070. I just hope that the ‘Silent Majority’ does not stay silent tooooooo long. Might be too late by the time that majority makes some noise.
I moved out of S. Cal in the 1980’s because of the influx of illegal immigrants degraded the public school system for my childs public education.
I live overseas after 9/11 when America became the land of the fearful instead of the land of the free.
I have no problem showing my passport and work permit in my new “home” and do not question my “legal” right to privacy when stopped by the police.
Wake up America…it is not a police state when asked to prove your legal right to be there!
As an American, I can’t go to Canada and just decide to stay without abiding by their immigration laws. Nor can I go to the UK, France, Australia, or any other place I may want to live. I have to legally emigrate there, or risk arrest and deportation.
I can’t go to MEXICO and just stay either. Ask Central Americans how welcoming Mexico is to their neighbors to the south.
But if we insist that Mexicans who sneak into this country and bypass our relatively easy immigration system return to their country, we’re racists?
Fools.
How much damage did President Obama make with the ‘little old lady walking her dog’ comment? My son believed him, as well as millions of other sons and daughters. The immigration uproar in Arizona is a direct response to President Obama and his administration’s comments. His approval of boycotting Arizona is another issue.
Mr. President, the campaign is over, you won. Stop taking sides on every issue. If you campaign for a democrat, then your beliefs are well known.
Stop trying to ‘buy’ the Hispanic vote. You’re not the president of hispanics or blacks or asians or whites. You are the President of all the citizens of the United States. You swore an oath to defend the United States. So begin to defend it. Use whatever resources are necessary to stop the illegal border crossings.
You don’t answer to Mexico, Costa Rica, or other foreign countries. You answer to the people of the United States. If you can’t or won’t do that job, then resign.
With this old concept of immigration, our economy can only be outsourced to Asia entirely. I prefer to let Mexicans to help us with fair and equal benefits to channel through the entire North and South of this continence. We don’t lake of any material resources and will power but traffics and communications because of giant bankers and corporations lobbyists secrecy and politics driven isolation. What NAFTA fails us is corporation monopoly. If we simply open the border I don’t believe capital investments doesn’t come back to this continence of opportunity. I would prefer our Mexicans staying with us and help us extend our trading boundary with the South outside the corporation monopoly. Our Govt should re-examine this effort.
Illegal immigration is an organized invasion for conquest (Viz. “The National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry,” Office of Publishing and Promotion Services, United States Catholic Conference, No. 199-7), by the same institution yet to be brought to justice for financing the rise of Hitler (re: Vatican banker Rockefeller/Knight of Malta Prescott Bush/Fritz Thyssen), and committing the Holocaust (Viz. “A Moral Reckoning,” Goldhagen).
For no other reason would Our Founder, Author, and Prophet Thomas Jefferson identify it as “the real Anti-Christ.” Viz. Letter to Samuel Kercheval, January 19, 1810.
Arise sovereign Americans! Awake!
impeach obama for treason. since when does the president think that illegals have more rights than u.s. citizens.doesnt he work for us.dont we pay him..get out of office you you loser.go run for president in mexico since you love illegals so much..
WANTED…1 million man U.S. citizens army to protect the other u.s. citizens from the u.s. government and invading illegal immigrants.maybe this is what its going to take to wake this country up.I love the smell of civil war in the morning.
Illegal is the word to focus on. Breaking up families and forcing illegals who have been here a long time and are hard working and perhaps our friends is not my problem or yours. I didn;t come here illegally, they did, not it’s time to pay for the crime.
