Arizona Senator Russell Pearce Targets Immigrants' Kids

Politico: With newfound prominence as the author of a law that ignited a national firestorm over immigration, the Arizona state senator hopes to keep fanning the flames of the issue long after the courts uphold or strike down SB 1070. That legislation focused attention on how far Arizona police can go in determining the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. Now Pearce, a deputy sheriff before entering politics, has a new target: the children of illegal immigrants. The way he sees it, he’s simply protecting taxpayers from those who are abusing public benefits like schools and hospitals. “Blame the parents,” Pearce, 63, said in an interview with POLITICO. “They’re breaking the law, and you can’t reward them.” Pearce said he plans to introduce a bill next year requiring that illegal immigrants pay for their kids to attend public schools. And last month, he signaled he would author legislation to deny birth certificates to so-called anchor babies, the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.