Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano might just be the fix our broken immigration system needs. Defined as a centrist, Governor Napolitano is seen by some as extremely tough on immigration issues. She has taken a centrist position, supporting strong steps to prevent new illegal immigrants from coming to Arizona, while opposing most measures that would punish illegal immigrants who were already living and working there.
Arizona currently has the toughest laws on the books about knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. She calls this law the “business death penalty.” The second time business are caught hiring illegal immigrants, they lose their business license, There is a 376 mile border between Mexico and Arizona. Napolitano has called for stationing the Arizona National Guard along this border.
On the other hand, Napolitano is known for a common-sense approach to immigration practices. She is extremely critical of Congress for not producing an immigration overhaul reform package. She opposes most measures that would punish those already here in the United States. She is especially compassionate about children who are here with their parents. She has vetoed legislation that cuts off in-state tuition aid for children of undocumented immigrants. Additionally, she has vetoed bills that require local law enforcement to arrest immigrants on immigration violations. She feels this is the job of the federal government.
Her politics must suit many people since she was re-elected 2 years ago by a 2-1 margin in a Republican leaning state. Her common sense approach to a thorny, prickly pear issue seems to be just what is needed. Her skill and expertise are being looked at favorably by other departments within Homeland Security as well.
Damn. I thought he would appoint Sarah Palin.
I’m just glad it’s a tough-minded woman who has a mind of her own. No more cronies, thank God. At first I was asking myself why choose someone with immigration experience when that is only 10 percent of the Homeland Security job. But, given that she will be managing all phases of this vast agency, including all the experts on national security and counter terrorism, perhaps it is good to have someone with experience on actually dealing with the immigration issue in a real life setting.
Locally, we’ve had a bad spell of luck with politicians who only know how to inflame people’s hatred and anger, but don’t have any solutions or policy ideas that actually work. I won’t mention any names of course. But the lesson needs to be learned, you can’t come up with good policy ideas if the only people you listen to are backward and provincial citizens angry about demographic changes, and fringe extremist group lobbyists seeking to take advantage of that anger.
Bush was just to weak, too unpopular, and so lacking in credibility by the time the immigration issue came up. Even though he did have his heart in the right place on the issue.
And she’s a U.Va. Law School graduate.
Homeland Security is a huge, awkward, near omnipotent creature. I expect Obama will decentralize some of it once he gets a handle on the ecomony. So far, the anti-immigration (both types) people have voiced complaints and I haven’t heard much complaining out of anyone else. I guess we shall see.
I have rarely met a centrist I didn’t have some respect for. Its the extremists that I take such great issue with.
She appears to be a great choice! We’ll see if she can create the momentum needed to bring some resolution to this current immigration “crisis”. Let’s hope so, we sure do have more pressing issues facing this nation.
I didn’t realize she was a UVA law school graduate!
Sounds like an awful choice.
I would have gone with Sherrif Joe, myself.
Well Rick, So far your plan of marching everyone illegal down I-95 hasn’t proved very effective. Let’s give someone else’s plan a chance.
We don’t need to start off the Obama administration with a scandal and I am sure Sheriff Joe would bring one on.