Pearce Bids Anew to Curb Illegal Immigrants

Arizona Daily Star: Unwilling to accept defeat, Senate President Russell Pearce is going to make one last bid to persuade Republican colleagues to approve new state laws aimed at illegal immigrants. But he is scaling back the scope of his effort. Pearce said he will not pursue the more controversial elements of the five measures that failed last month. These include a bid to deny citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants and a proposal to require parents to provide proof the children they are enrolling in school are in this country legally. Also gone, he said, will be a requirement for hospitals to report when people show up for treatment and cannot prove legal presence in this country. But Pearce said there are "enforcement provisions" in his SB 1611, one of the defeated bills, he believes can be approved. One section, for example, would require public-housing authorities to evict any family if any member is an illegal immigrant. Other provisions would make it a crime for an illegal immigrant to drive a vehicle in Arizona and restrict the ability of those not here legally to register a vehicle. There also is another bid to deny illegal immigrants admission into any state university or community college. Pearce wants a new vote by the end of the month.