New Arizona Immigration Law Makes Sense
Jena McNeill /
Today, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that would make it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally and would allow state law enforcement to require individuals to produce proof that they are in the U.S. legally. This decision is a major stepping stone in terms of encouraging other states, as well as local governments, to assert themselves in terms of immigration policy.
Under the Tenth Amendment which preserves the traditional police powers of the states to control their own jurisdictions. The Heritage Foundation has advocated for extensive innovation at the lowest levels of government in terms of immigration enforcement. A 2009 report of Matt Mayer highlights how “state and local governments must [and can] do more” to do something about the illegal immigration problem—a conclusion that came from a series of THF roundtables aimed at talking to state and local officials about pressing public policy problems.