Anti-immigrant law gets chilly reception

By Aaron Deslatte Looks like the Arizona-style anti-immigration wave that helped float the political fortunes of candidates like Gov. Rick Scott is getting a reality check in Florida. Although Republicans walked in virtual lock-step during last year's elections on the need to import the Arizona immigration law, the idea is getting a rough reception in Tallahassee. You might remember Scott's TV commercial: "Rick Scott backs Arizona's law; he'll bring it to Florida and let our police ...

Amy Goodman: A Tale of Two Sheriffs

By Amy Goodman The Tucson massacre that left six dead and 14 injured, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, brought into sharp public focus the local sheriff, Clarence Dupnik. He’s been the sheriff of Pima County, which includes Tucson, Arizona’s second-largest city, for 30 years. For the 20 years before that, he was a police officer. Dupnik has gained attention this week for linking the shooting to the vitriolic political climate in the U.S., and in particular, Arizona. Speaking at a ...

Tucson tea party founder says Giffords to blame for getting shot

By David Edwards One tea party leader says that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) has herself to blame for getting shot in the head Saturday. The Arizona congresswoman shouldn't have attended an event "in full view of the public" if she had security concerns, according to Tucson Tea Party co-founder Trent Humphries. Giffords warned MSNBC's Chuck Todd last year that there would be "consequences" to violent rhetoric and imagery after Fox News' Sarah Palin released a graphic which placed c...

Head of immigration House subcommittee will offer a less controversial California flavor

By Christopher A. Guzman Despite earlier reports that hardline immigration hawk Rep. Steve King of Iowa was set to become the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Immigration, California Congressman Elton Gallegly (R- Simi Valley) has been appointed. The move, as the Contra Costa Times reports, is drawing different reactions from both sides of the political spectrum. While Republicans are praising Gallegly for his enforcement approach on illegal immigration, the Times reports that D...

Vigil for Civility Held as AZ Legislature Begins Session

PHOENIX - It was a subdued start Monday for Arizona's 2011 legislative session. Talk of budgets and policy was replaced with expressions of sadness, sympathy, and prayers for the victims of Saturday's Tucson shooting. A vigil was held at the Capitol by the immigrant rights group Border Action Network, calling for a return of humanity and civility to the Arizona Legislature. Allen says the future of our democratic system of government is at stake if something isn't done to tone down the i...

Two Young Girls Climb U.S./Mexico Border Fence in 18 Seconds

In an effort to bring attention to more creative and just ways of managing immigration, filmmaker Roy Germano shot two young women climbing to the top of the U.S./Mexico border to show just how easy it is to climb to the top. It took the women, who both stand at about 5’5” tall, just 18 seconds to climb to the top. According to Germano, each mile of border fence costs US taxpayers about $4 million to build and will cost another $6.5 billion over the next 20 years to repair and maintain...