Comments (111) | Add a comment
Senate candidate proposes initiative similar to Arizona immigration law
Tools
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: May 7, 2010 | 7:59 a.m.
Jumping on a hot election-year issue, U.S. Senate candidate Chad Christensen on Thursday launched a ballot initiative that would impose an Arizona-like law in Nevada, giving authorities the right to question and arrest possible illegal immigrants in certain cases.
Christensen, a Las Vegas assemblyman, said he is working on a draft of his Nevada Immigration Reform Referendum and would start gathering signatures immediately, although he is not sure whether he'll be able to meet a deadline to get the initiative on the November ballot.
Christensen, a Republican, said he decided to take the question to the voters after GOP Gov. Jim Gibbons, who is in a tough re-election race, refused the lawmaker's request to call a special session of the Legislature to pass a law cracking down on illegal immigrants in Nevada. Gibbons said he doesn't see a need for such a law in the state, which, unlike Arizona, is not on the U.S.-Mexico border.
"It's time for the people of Nevada to stand together and let our voices be heard," Christensen said. "Illegal immigration is costing the taxpayers in Nevada $700 million a year."
He said the goal is to collect 97,002 signatures from registered voters, which would place the referendum on the ballot in November or in the next election if he can't make the deadline.
"This is not an issue that can wait," said Christensen, who, like other Republicans in the race, accuses the federal government of not doing its job of securing U.S. borders. "With the passage of the Arizona bill, we anticipate an even greater illegal population will be moving to Nevada."
Christensen's proposal comes two weeks before early voting begins for the June 8 primary in which he is running in the middle of the pack of a dozen Republicans hoping to win the nomination to face U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic incumbent.
Former state Sen. Sue Lowden is the GOP front-runner, followed by real estate developer Danny Tarkanian, former Reno Assemblywoman Sharron Angle and investment banker John Chachas, an Ely native who is considered a long shot like Christensen.
The new law in Arizona, which has faced rising crime because of illegal immigrant drug gangs involved in the cross-border trade of narcotics, was amended after it faced criticism that it amounted to racial profiling. The changes were meant to prevent random questioning, which could violate a person's civil rights. Instead, law enforcement must have already stopped a suspect for another suspicious activity before being allowed to question them about their legal status.
The proposed Nevada initiative also includes some of the same safeguards.
As proposed, Christensen said his referendum would do the following:
■ Direct law enforcement authorities during a lawful stop or after an arrest to determine the immigration status of people they "reasonably suspect to be illegal aliens."
■ Prohibit state officials and agencies from imposing bans or restrictions on sending, receiving or maintaining information related to a person's immigration status or exchanging it with any other federal, state or local governmental entity for the purposes of determining eligibility.
■ Allow legal residents to sue if they feel a government agency adopts a policy that limits or restricts the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
■ Prohibit people who are hiring and picking up day laborers, and day laborers soliciting work from impeding traffic.
■ Prohibit illegal immigrants without work authorization from applying for a job, soliciting employment in a public place or performing work in the state.
■ Make it illegal to transport, harbor or encourage illegal immigrants to stay in the United States if a driver knows or "recklessly disregards" the fact that they are not in the country legally. The law would exempt child care providers and first responders.
■ Authorize impoundment or forfeiture of vehicles driven by illegal immigrants or used to transport them.
■ Prohibit an employer from knowingly employing an unauthorized immigrant.
Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.
Trending topics:
Comments
Terms & Conditions
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The Review-Journal does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please use the Report Abuse button.
Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 24 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
@ wayneaaron
Sorry but it’s not slavery when you are willing and getting paid and it’s only subjugating for legal citizens now forced to work for less because of the overwhelming illegal labor willing to work for less.
Both the businesses and illegal aliens are criminals.
Yes for some reason your government is representing foreigh citizens rather than their own.
I HAVE MY OWN QUILL WHERE DO I SIGN SIR?
--- JOHN HANCOCK ---
Arizona is 100% correct. The Federal Government (ICE, etc) are useless. Obama and Napolitano are 100% for helping illegal aliens.
There was an incident from the winter when Immigration Enforcement agents stopped 65 illegal aliens who were on their way to clear snow at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, and instead of detaining the illegal aliens, the agents set them up with court dates and then drove them to the stadium.
Not only does the Obama Administration refuse to enforce immigration laws against illegal workers, it is actively aiding and abetting law-breakers with a 'catch and drive them to work' policy for illegal aliens. Most Americans have to get to work on their own. . .
Arizona is 100% correct. The Federal Government (ICE, etc) are useless. Obama and Napolitano are 100% for helping illegal aliens.
There was an incident from the winter when Immigration Enforcement agents stopped 65 illegal aliens who were on their way to clear snow at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, and instead of detaining the illegal aliens, the agents set them up with court dates and then drove them to the stadium.
Not only does the Obama Administration refuse to enforce immigration laws against illegal workers, it is actively aiding and abetting law-breakers with a 'catch and drive them to work' policy for illegal aliens. Most Americans have to get to work on their own. . .