Bill sparks Ariz. immigration debate again

PHOENIX - An Arizona Senate committee approved a bill late yesterday designed to set up a U.S. Supreme Court case on automatic citizenship for children of illegal immigrants.

The Republican-led Appropriations Committee panel was also expected to consider a more sweeping bill later that would target illegal immigrants in public housing, public benefits and the workplace.

That measure, which would add to last year's controversial Arizona illegal immigration law, drew vocal opposition from Democrats, who say its sponsor isn't focused on Republicans' stated top priority, the economy.

The 29-page bill was introduced by Republican Sen. Russell Pearce, who was the author of last year's law, which touched off a nationwide debate on whether states can enforce federal immigration laws.

Democrats don't have the votes to block Pearce's most recent measure, but the topic brought out supporters on both sides and security was heightened, with a dozen uniformed police officers deployed in and around the Senate building.

Police said four people were arrested and cited for disorderly conduct after disrupting a Democratic senator's news conference about her bill stiffening penalties for a human smuggling crime.

Pearce's bill toughens requirements that employers check work eligibility of new hires, allowing for their business licenses to be suspended if they don't use the federal E-Verify system. Workers caught using a false identity to get a job would face mandatory six-month jail sentences.

It also requires schools to collect information on the legal status of students and report them to law enforcement if their parents don't provide the necessary documents or the documents appear false.

The bill also makes it illegal for an illegal immigrant to drive in the state, providing for a 30-day minimum jail sentence and the seizure of their vehicles if they are convicted.