Arizona considers tougher immigration laws to combat what weak-minded politicians in Washington, DC do not want to do.  Also, it took the ex-governor of Arizona to leave the state so this policy could be promoted.  As America's busiest immigrant-smuggling hub, Arizona has earned the distinction as a place that's tough on people who sneak across the border.

Under Arizona's proposed trespassing provision, a first offense would be a top-tier misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. Subsequent violations would be a felony that could carry a penalty of up to 2 1/2 years in prison.

The proposal, which has cleared the state Senate and is being considered by the House, would require police to try to determine people's immigration status when they have reasonable suspicions that a person doesn't have legal status.

And, if approved, Arizona would become the only state to criminalize the presence of illegal immigrants through an expansion of its trespassing law.  Immigrant rights advocates predict it would lead to racial profiling that would target thousands of Hispanics who are U.S. citizens, but this just totally false.

Some local politicians "don't have the courage to stand up for their citizens," said state Sen. Russell Pearce of Mesa, the bill's sponsor.  The measure cleared the Senate on a 16-12 vote on June 15 and is being considered by the House. The proposed trespassing provision is similar to proposals vetoed in 2006 by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano, who said she opposed turning all immigrants who sneaked into the state into criminals.

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, whose office helped draft the bill, said even though the federal government has the authority to regulate immigration, states have broad police powers that allow them to contribute to the fight against illegal immigration. "The argument that the states can't do anything to combat illegal immigration is just wrong," Mr. Thomas said.

The federal government should allow states to control the issue since they (federal elected officials) do NOT want to enfore the law, which is in our national interest.