Politics illegal immigrationobama immigrationPolitics

Jan Brewer Border Tour: Obama, 'You Need To Come Down'

Jan Brewer Issues Odd Request To Obama
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Associate Editor, HuffPost Travel

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Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) called on President Barack Obama to tour the Arizona-Mexico border Tuesday, just hours before he took the stage to deliver his State of the Union address, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

“Mr. President, you need to come down and talk to the ranchers, to the some of the people that are working on the ground. They will tell you differently. But our border is not secure,” Brewer said at a news conference in Arizona.

The Arizona governor, who met with National Guard officers and ranchers, called the border the “gateway of the drug cartels" and called for more manpower to police it.

Though the rate of illegal immigration has decreased, Brewer said cartel activity and drug smuggling has been on the rise. She expects the number of undocumented immigrants to increase in the future.

"The fact of the matter is our economy went down and some of them [immigrants] went back across," Brewer said. "But I believe truly that when our economy gets better that it will all start up again."

Brewer is known for her staunch and sometimes controversial conservative beliefs on illegal immigration. The Arizona Republic reported in January that Brewer was softening some of her positions, though she remains firm on border security.

In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Obama addressed the topic, saying he would pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill. While he did not specifically speak about border security in his speech, it is one of the key principles in his immigration reform plan.

As the White House said in a fact sheet released last month:

Continuing to Strengthen Border Security: President Obama has doubled the number of Border Patrol agents since 2004 and today border security is stronger than it has ever been. But there is more work to do. The President’s proposal gives law enforcement the tools they need to make our communities safer from crime. And by enhancing our infrastructure and technology, the President’s proposal continues to strengthen our ability to remove criminals and apprehend and prosecute national security threats.

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Before You Go

Controversial Immigration Laws
The Template: California Proposition 187 (1994)(01 of07)
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California's Proposition 187 was submitted to the voters with the full support of then Republican governor Pete Wilson. It essentially blamed undocumented immigrants for the poor performance of the state economy in the early 1990s. The law called for cutting off benefits to undocumented immigrants: prohibiting their access to health care, public education, and other social services in California. It also required state authorities to report anyone who they suspected was undocumented. Status: The law passed with the support of 55 percent of the voters in 1994 but declared unconstitutional 1997. The law was killed in 1999 when a new governor, Democrat Gray Davis, refused to appeal a judicial decision that struck down most of the law. Even though short-lived, the legislation paved the way for harsher immigration laws to come. On the other hand, the strong reaction from the Hispanic community and immigration advocates propelled a drive for naturalization of legal residents and created as many as one million new voters. (credit:alamy)
The Worst: Arizona SB 1070 (02 of07)
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The Arizona Act made it a misdemeanor for an undocumented immigrant to be within the state lines of Arizona without legal documents allowing their presence in the U.S. This law has been widely criticized as xenophobic and for encouraging racial profiling. It requires state authorities to inquire about an individual's immigration status during an arrest when there is "reasonable suspicion" that the individual is undocumented. The law would allow police to detain anyone who they believe was in the country illegally. Status: The law was signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on April 23, 2010. But it has generated a swirl of controversy and questions about its constitutionality. A federal judge issued a ruling that blocked what critics saw as some of the law's harshest provisions. House: 35-31 (4/12/2011) (credit:MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
Following Arizona's Footsteps: Georgia HB 87(03 of07)
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The controversy over Arizona's immigration law was followed by heated debate over Georgia's own law. HB 87 required government agencies and private companies to check the immigration status of applicants. This law also limited some government benefits to people who could prove their legal status. Status: Although a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of the law considered too extreme, it went into effect on July 1st. 2011.House: 113-56 Senate: 39-17 (credit:AP)
Verifying Authorized Workers: Pennsylvania HB 1502 (04 of07)
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This bill, which was approved in 2010, bans contractors and subcontractors employ undocumented workers from having state construction contracts. The bill also protects employees who report construction sites that hire illegal workers. To ensure that contractors hire legal workers, the law requires employers to use the identification verification system E-verify, based on a compilation of legally issued Social Security numbers.Status: Approved on June 8th 2010. House: 188-6 (07/08/2010)Flickr photo by DonkeyHotey (credit:Flickr:DonkeyHotey)
A Spin Off of Arizona: Utah HB 497(05 of07)
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Many states tried to emulate Arizona's SB 1070 law. However, most state legislatures voted against the proposals. Utah's legislature managed to approve an immigration law based on a different argument. Taking into consideration the criticism of racial profiling in Arizona, Utah required ID cards for "guest workers" and their families. In order to get such a card workers must pay a fee and have clean records. The fees go up to $2,500 for immigrants who entered the country illegally and $1,000 for immigrants who entered the country legally but were not complying with federal immigration law, according to the LA Times.Status: Law went into effect on 03/15/2011House: 59-15 (03/04/2011)Senate: 22-5 (03/04/2011) (credit:AP)
The Most Comprehensive: Florida HB-1C (06 of07)
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Florida's immigration law prohibits any restrictions on the enforcement of federal immigration law. It makes it unlawful for undocumented immigrants within the state to apply for work or work as an independent contractor. It forbids employers from hiring immigrants if they are aware of their illegal status and requires work applicants to go through the E-verify system in order to check their Social Security number. Status: effective since October 1st, 2010 (credit:Getty)
The Hot Seat: Alabama HB 56(07 of07)
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The new immigration law in Alabama is considered the toughest in the land, even harder than Arizona's SB 1070. It prohibits law enforcement officers from releasing an arrested person before his or her immigration status is determined. It does not allow undocumented immigrants to receive any state benefit, and prohibits them from enrolling in public colleges, applying for work or soliciting work in a public space. The law also prohibits landlords from renting property to undocumented immigrants, and employers from hiring them. It requires residents to prove they are citizens before they become eligible to vote. The law asked every school in the state to submit an annual report with the number of presumed undocumented students, but this part, along with others, were suspended by federal courts. Status: Approved June 2nd, 2011 House: 73-28 (04/05/2011)Senate: 23-11 (05/05/2011)Flickr photo by longislandwins (credit:Flickr:longislandwins)
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