The most despised, most disputed, most vehemently denounced liberal cliche about illegal immigrants has been proved true . . . by Arizona’s Republican-controlled Legislature.

Activists who support a more inclusive, less harsh approach to illegal immigrants have argued for years that most border crossers are not hardened criminals but men and women looking to make a better life for their children.

If political actions speak louder than political words then that belief is correct.

Because while Arizona Republicans like de facto Gov. and state Sen. Russell Pearce demonize illegal immigrants in their public speech, their legislative actions say just the opposite.

The Republican-controlled Legislature has been considering a host of anti-immigrant bills, including Pearce’s omnibus legislation (Senate Bill 1611). Together these laws would transform just about every government bureaucrat, educator, medical professional and police officer into an immigration agent. In addition, there is a proposal to challenge the birthright citizenship of babies born in Arizona to illegal immigrant parents.

The target of all these bills? Children.

‘It is tragic to us, and so cruel, that lawmakers in Arizona seem to hate children so much,’ said Cassandra Belson of the Phoenix Repeal Coalition, a group dedicated to removing laws from the books like last year’s SB 1070.

‘What […]