Play the video above to see these stories on AZ Illustrated Politics for Friday, Nov. 15 with guests Lea Marquez-Peterson, president of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Jeff Rogers, former chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party, and Vince Rabago, chairman of the Pima County Latino Democratic Caucus:
IMMIGRATION REFORM: This week, House Speaker John Boehner said there was not enough time to tackle immigration reform in 2013 and that he had no intention of taking up the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that passed the Senate earlier this year. Marquez Peterson, who was recently in D.C. along with fellow business leaders to lobby House members to pass immigration reform, said she was disappointed to hear Boehner’s announcement but added that her group and others would continue to push for reform. Rogers said that there were enough votes in the House to pass the Senate bill, but Boehner was capitulating to a minority of GOP House members who oppose a path to citizenship for undocumented people now in the United States.
SB 1070 ENFORCEMENT: The Tucson City Council voted on Wednesday, Nov. 13, to restrict how the Tucson Police Department handles the requirements of SB 1070, Arizona controversial immigration law. All the panelists agreed that the council made the right steps in by creating the new restrictions, which include not investigating the immigration status on someone who reports police misconduct or minors who don’t have parents or attorneys present.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2 RACE: The panelists discussed how the Congressional District 2 race is shaping up for 2014. Congressman Ron Barber has now drawn three potential Republican opponents: 2012 GOP nominee Martha McSally and political newcomers Ed Martin and Shelley Kais. Rogers was critical of all three Republican candidates for failing to take a position on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that passed the U.S. Senate last week with the support of Republican Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake.
AZ Illustrated Politics is produced by Jim Nintzel. Contact him at jnintzel@azpm.org.
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