States Reconsider Strict Immigration Bills

Even as some lawmakers discuss ending birthright citizenship, tight budgets and concerns over civil liberties are causing some states to reconsider the wisdom of following in Arizona’s footsteps. "Enforcing a restrictive immigration measure is expensive,” said Vivak Malhotra of the ACLU. And then there are the secondary costs: Potentially expensive legal battles with the federal government, boycotts, and the lost political support of Hispanic voters. Among the states considering variations on Arizona’s strict immigration law, Florida is stalled over concerns about racial profiling, and Utah over concerns about wasting local resources on a federal issue. In Texas, businesses leaders say that immigration bills will discourage development. South Carolina’s bill is also encountering opposition, but proponents are still pushing hard, encouraged by new Republican Gov. Nikki Haley.