I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Arizona governor Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that would allow authorities to ask anyone who they suspect of being in the country illegally to prove their immigration status.
The Arizona Republic reports that the law will go into effect 90 days after the legislative session in Arizona, which is expected to be in early May.
More from the Republic:
The law is the latest in a string of legislation intended to drive illegal immigrants out of Arizona by making life tougher for them through a policy known as enforcement through attrition.
Those measures include a requirement that public-service workers report illegal immigrants to federal authorities; the 2008 employer-sanctions law; and requirements that voters must show proof of citizenship at the polls. Several of those came about with the help of Brewer.
New Mexico governor Bill Richardson urged Brewer to veto the bill.
And, New Mexicans, beware of being pulled over in Phoenix. Since New Mexico does not ask for immigration status, New Mexico drivers licenses are not a valid form of identification to prove whether or not the holder of the license is in the country legally.
“That means that anyone who drives in the city of Phoenix and gets pulled over better have a passport or a visa,” Phoenix Vice Mayor Michael Nowakowski said, according to the Republic.
UPDATED 4:15 p.m. — Phoenix’s vice mayor Michael Nowakowski made the comment about people needing passports to show the flaw in the new law, said Alejandro Montiel, a spokesman for the city of Phoenix, in an e-mail he just sent us.
Montiel went on to write:
His reference to driver licences is just to show the flaw of this new law. We want to make sure that your audience understands clearly that Vice Mayor Nowakowski opposes this new law.
The reasoning behind his drivers licence comment is to show the lack of understanding behind this law. For example, since many states do not require citizenship status to obtain a drivers licence (the state of Arizona started this requirement a few years ago), a drivers licence does not constitute proof of citizenship; placing an extra financial burden on every individual whether they are a tourist or a resident.
