Arizona’s much touted and controversial immigration law takes effect today, but without parts of the law deemed offensive to many immigration supporters. Yesterday a U.S. federal judge blocked most of the contested provisions of Arizona’s law, which only ratchets up the intense political debate as the nation heads into Novembers mid-term elections.
Arizona passed its contested immigration law when Governor Jan Brewer signed it into law in April over Washington’s failed efforts at curbing the flow of illegal immigration into the United States. The last time Washington attempted to tackle the controversial immigration issues was back in 2007, when then President Bush tried in vain to get comprehensive immigration reform, but ran into intense opposition from both political parties. The key sticking point then was the same issue facing President Obama today; amnesty for the close to twelve million illegal immigrants in the country today.
The president placed himself into the debate while running for president when he was interviewed on Univision on May 08, 2008 stating, “What I can guarantee is that, during my first year [in office] we will have an immigration reform bill.” Hispanic voters voted close to sixty percent for President Obama and expected that he would fulfill his campaign promise. That promise has been shelved by the president and currently there is no comprehensive immigration reform legislation in Congress pending or any planned legislation in the future.
This has infuriated Hispanic leaders with many voicing public animosity toward the president which can have a chilling affect in November where the Democrats will face an angry electorate who expected change but received something entirely different.
November will be a very interesting month.
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