I believe Arizona can do it and that will open the way for others to follow. Anchor babies are not legally american citizens. A precedent have never been set.
Arizona law denying benefits to illegal aliens draws criticism
San Francisco Examiner
December 1, 2009
A new Arizona law that denies benefits to illegal aliens has drawn criticism for being too harsh and punitive, and that it may affect the children (anchor babies) of illegal immigrants as well.
House Bill 2008 (HB 2008) mandates that any employee of the state of Arizona must report undocumented immigrants to the proper immigration authorities. The law carries penalties of up to four months in jail for failing to properly file a report.
The new law also gives Arizona citizens the ability to sue the state or city municipality if the law is not properly enforced.
The reaction from pro illegal alien groups was swift. “This is a terrible change,” said Alfredo Gutiérrez, a retired senator and editor of La Frontera Times. “Since undocumented migrants don’t qualify for most state benefits this is a redundancy, and it’s children who would pay the price”
The fear is that this bill, which is part of the larger state budget process the legislature has been grappling with for almost a year, will help foster anti illegal immigrant sentiment that has been strengthening in Arizona for some time.
Despite assurances that the new law wonÂ’t affect federal benefits or necessary services, many advocates worry that state workers will be forced to report those attempting to access these benefits due to fear they will lose their own job if they donÂ’t. In particular,
state workers may be required to report illegal alien parents when they bring in their children to receive free health care or other services. As a result,
parents may elect to avoid state social services altogether, potentially endangering their children.
“This is just unconstitutional, what they’re doing is penalizing children who are entitled to the services, but they’re going to take it away because they’re the children of immigrants,” said Luis Ibarra, director of Friendly House a non-profit agency that services Latinos and immigrants in Phoenix.
Naturally a lawsuit was quickly filed with the state Supreme Court by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns who claims that the law is unconstitutional because it was part of a state budget package, not a stand-alone bill. They believe that the bill was developed outside the parameters of the special joint legislative session where it was written.
The Joint Legislative Budget CommitteeÂ’s staff recently reported that Arizona General Fund tax collections continued to drop by double-digits year over year, down by nearly 24% to 455 million in October. In all likelihood, this will result in an ever wider budget deficit than was originally projected.
In light of this continuing fiscal crisis, the state of Arizona has every right and moral obligation to eliminate benefits and services to anyone here illegally, and to use all legitimate means available to identify illegal aliens and deport them.
Arizona no longer has the resources to support these people, and it is time for them to return from wherever they came.
Arizona law denying benefits to illegal aliens draws criticism
