A year ago, a revolution on immigration enforcement seemed underway, with legislators in at least 20 states vowing to follow the lead of Arizona’s tough new law targeting illegal immigrants. These days, says the Los Angeles Times, the momentum has shifted.
In at least six states, the proposals have been voted down or have simply died. Many of the other proposals have not even made it past one legislative chamber. The most-discussed provision in the Arizona law requires police to investigate the status of people they legally stop whom they also suspect are illegal immigrants. But even in Arizona, several tough immigration proposals have been stalled in the Senate, with business leaders and some Republicans arguing that the state does not need more controversy.