Rep. Royce plans to push national-level version of Arizona immigration law

The Daily Caller reports that Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) is planning to introduce a national-level version of Arizona’s controversial Senate Bill 1070.  Royce said his legislation would give state-level law enforcement authority to enforce federal immigration laws.  The bill would ‘establish operational control of the border’ by keeping the secretaries of Interior and Agriculture from over-regulating fencing on federal land.  In addition, Homeland Security would be required to review all visas from certain ‘high-risk’ consulate posts, including conducting a face-to-face interview with these visa-holders.

Rep. Royce visited the U.S.-Mexico border with Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) and said the border security situation was much grimmer than the picture painted by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.  He said border communities are complaining of higher levels of violence and vandalism more than they have in the past. 

http://dailycaller.com/2011/02/03/rep-royce-plans-to-push-national-level-version-of-contentious-arizona-immigration-law/

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Sen. Orrin Hatch to propose immigration bill

The State Column reports that Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) will propose a bill to strengthen immigration enforcement.  Although no specific details were released, Sen. Hatch said the bill would seek to secure the borders while proposing a plan to begin deporting illegally present immigrants.  He said the bill is in response to Republican disagreement with the Obama administration’s immigration reform policies.

http://www.thestatecolumn.com/state_politics/utah/sen-orrin-hatch-to-propose-illegal-immigration-bill/

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‘America’s toughest sheriff’ considering Arizona Senate run

The Hill reports that Arizona Sherrif Joe Arpaio, the conservative sheriff who has made national headlines for his hard-line anti-immigration stances, is considering running for the seat of retiring Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) in 2012.  A poll by the Summit Consulting Group found Arpaio leading other possible Republican candidates for the Senate seat, with 21 percent of likely GOP voters favoring Arpaio.  Arpaio said the main factor in his decision would be whether he would be willing to leave his job as sheriff, a position he has held for five terms.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/144043--popular-arizona-sheriff-considering-a-us-senate-run

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Janet Napolitano invites Hill leaders to Mexican border

Politico reports that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano invited top Democrats and Republicans in both chambers of Congress to join her in a trip to the Mexican border this spring.  She hopes the bipartisan group will ‘jointly asses the progress that has been made’ at the border and continue the discourse in Congress.  The group includes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49270.html

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