I understand the frustration felt by countless Arizonans over the continued failure of the federal government to make our southern border more secure. I support tougher laws and worked hard to fight back against the criminal cartels operating in Mexico and the United States.

Earlier this week, I sent a letter to President Barack Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urging them to reform federal immigration laws and step up the fight against border crime. In the post 9/11 world, our nation's security requires strict laws against, and stern punishments for, those who cross our borders illegally. You can read my recommendations to the President here.  

The immigration bill recently passed by the Arizona Legislature is clearly not the right answer. Senate Bill 1070 would do much more harm than good, and Gov. Brewer should veto it.

The bill should not become law for several reasons:

-- It will not increase border security or reduce border violence. The criminal activity that most threatens Arizona today comes from the international cartels in Mexico that smuggle humans, drugs and weapons across the border. They are the dominant players in the highly profitable business of facilitating illegal immigration, and this bill fails to address them.

-- Because it is regarded by many business leaders across the country as extreme, the bill would hurt Arizona's efforts to attract new jobs and encourage new investments. Most national newspapers have strongly denounced the measure in editorials. As one example, the Los Angeles Times  said the "terribly wrongheaded" bill would "encourage police officers to engage in racial profiling" and "harks back to Fascist Europe." At a time when our state's economy is struggling, such perceptions will not encourage companies to relocate or bring new jobs to Arizona.

-- The bill would also have a damaging impact on our tourism industry. The Scottsdale Conventional and Visitors Bureau has warned that the bill could cost the state such major events as the Super Bowl and college basketball's Final Four. "Make no mistake, the passage of this bill will have unintended, damaging consequences on this industry," said Rachel Sacco, the bureau's CEO.

-- The measure would drain tightly stretched law enforcement budgets and force agencies to divert resources from more serious crimes. Requiring police to determine the immigration status of anyone suspected of being in the U.S. illegally would impose a huge additional workload. Since the bill also gives citizens the right to sue if they believe police are not enforcing the new law, police departments would face the prospect of costly and time-consuming litigation that would further detract from vigorous law enforcement.

-- A more effective approach would be comprehensive federal immigration reform, including a law making the act of illegally crossing our border a felony. A felony conviction would preclude the convicted felon from ever receiving legal residency status or work authorization in the United States. My proposals to the President include making this change in federal law.

Our state and nation need meaningful border reforms, not this seriously flawed immigration bill that would create more problems than it would solve. It is time to step back and take thoughtful actions that address our real security problem, the cartels, and not squander our law enforcement resources as this bill would do.

Terry Goddard
Attorney General