While Arizona’s immigration law is set to take effect this Thursday, there is much to consider both now and after the law is implemented. It seems as if the law is already fulfilling its intentions.
The LA Times is reporting that many illegals are fleeing the state ahead of July 29, the date the law takes effect. Their article, however, demonstrates their bias in such a way that frames the Arizona government as villains of Arizona’s small businesses whose customers are illegal immigrants. Instead of merely reporting that illegal immigrants are fleeing the state, the Times quotes the shop owner as saying that his business is broken because many of his illegal immigrant customers will soon be gone due to the new law.
Contrary to what publications like the Times writes, it is not the Arizona government’s fault that small business will suffer as a result of the new law. Neither is it the shop owner’s fault that he will lose a majority of his customers.
I posit that it stems from federal neglect in finding a viable solution to illegal immigrants flooding the states over the past several years. And yes, President Reagan played a big role too when he granted amnesty in 1986.
Currently, the implementation of the Arizona law comes even as immigration in the state is apparently already dropping. This stat doesn’t make the law useless, but rather sets the stage for Arizona to deal with the more serious threats like Mexican drug cartels. While what are termed “hard-working” immigrants flee, drug cartels and gang lords will inevitably become more of a concentration that Arizona law enforcement will focus on extinguishing, making the best efforts in enhancing the safety of residents.
With illegal immigrants fleeing Arizona, that will leave surrounding states like California to absorb them.
Unfortunately, there is no doubt that the debate has been dominated by partisan bickering instead of common sense solutions. In a sense, the partisan bickering is understandable. Both parties have to look like they’re doing something instead of merely sitting on their hands with the hot issue.
Hispanics account for one of the largest voting blocs in the nation. Losing that one particular bloc would be detrimental to any party in the two party system, which the Republican Party knows very well. When it comes to immigration reform, it will boil down to which party has the more effective message this November and beyond.
When this factor is combined with the ant-incumbent sentiment going into November, the results of both California’s statewide election and the nation’s election will make for an intriguing political narrative.