Arizona coming to a state near you?

The Indianapolis Star has an article today about Indiana State Senator Mike Delph’s (R-Carmel) possible attempt at another immigration law re-write during the next session of the State General Assembly.

The article, found here, reads in part:

Delph might float immigration law
Legislator says state measure to identify, deport illegal residents makes sense if feds don’t act
By Tom Spalding and Vic Ryckaert

A state senator says Indiana should consider an immigration policy similar to Arizona’s new law that seeks to identify and deport illegal immigrants.

Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, said Thursday at the Statehouse that he would introduce immigration legislation by January if federal lawmakers don’t act soon.

“Until we have an administration and a Congress willing to take control of this situation, it will be up to the states to exercise the rights granted to them in federal law, as Arizona has done,” Delph wrote in a recent opinion piece sent to state news outlets.

[…] The Arizona law is to take effect July 29. Among other provisions, it directs police who have lawfully stopped, detained or arrested someone in the course of enforcing another law to ask for documentation of citizenship or registration if they suspect that person is an immigrant and is in the country illegally and to deport them if they are not.

It was amended to prohibit police from considering race, color or national origin when enforcing the law requiring immigrants to carry the documents.
Several lawsuits seeking to block implementation of the Arizona law are pending in federal court. Several cities have urged boycotts against Arizona businesses to protest the law.

This would be Delph’s fourth try at an illegal immigration measure. Efforts in 2008, 2009 and earlier this year won approval from the Republican-controlled Senate. But legislation died because bills never received hearings before the Democrat-controlled House, he said.

[…] Delph’s previous proposals drew criticism from business and agriculture interests who oppose penalties for businesses that hire illegal immigrants.
Before announcing any specifics about an immigration bill for the 2011 General Assembly, Delph said he wants to see how the Arizona law plays.

For the record, his last attempt was Senate Bill 213 and had several authors listed, among them State Senators Dennis Kruse (R-14th) and Marlin Stutzman (R-13th).

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