Arizona – Page 2 – Infinite Unknown

Sheriff Arpaio Refuses To Drop Obama Birth Certificate Investigation

March 21, 2012 by Infinite

– Sheriff Arpaio refuses to drop ‘birther’ investigation of Obama (The Raw Story, Mar 19, 2012):

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio told The Arizona Republic on Sunday that he would continue to pursue his investigation into President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

“I’m not going to drop this,” he told the newspaper. “You don’t think I did a press conference and let it die? I’ll make a decision real quick where to send the evidence we have. There are not many options. You do know this is complex. Many conflicts of interest from the White House to the Attorney General. I can go on and on.”

Arpaio announced on March 1 that his six-month investigation into Obama’s birth certificate concluded the document was most likely a “forgery.”

“President Barack Obama’s long-form birth certificate released by the White House on April 27, 2011, is suspected to be a computer-generated forgery, not a scan of an original 1961 paper document as represented by the White House when the long-form birth certificate was made public,” the sheriff said at a press conference.

But his widely-reported investigation had little impact.

“The media all came to make fun of me,” Arpaio told The Arizona Republic. “I’m a little concerned that all of their questions were zeroed in on credibility and that this has been rehashed. They didn’t even ask about the proof of the case. They didn’t ask about the facts that we had.”

Read moreSheriff Arpaio Refuses To Drop Obama Birth Certificate Investigation

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio On Obama’s Birth Certificate And Selective Service Registration Card: ‘Probable Cause Exists Indicating That Forgery And Fraud May Have Been Committed’ (Video)

March 6, 2012 by Infinite

FYI.

Watch (and download) this video on YouTube: Obama Birth Certificate: Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Says It Could Be Forged

– Obama Birth Certificate Maybe Forged, Sheriff Joe Arpaio Says (ABC News Video, Mar 1, 2012):

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., said today that he and his investigators have evidence that President Obama’s birth certificate is a forgery. He also raised questions about the authenticity of Obama’s selective service registration, though critics quickly accused him of pandering for votes.

“We believe probable cause exists indicating that forgery and fraud may have been committed, not only in President Obama’s long-form birth certificate, but more disturbing evidence suggests that another fraud may have been committed regarding his selected service registration card,” Arpaio, 79, said at a press conference. “Based on all of the evidence presented and investigated I cannot in good faith report to you that these documents are authentic.”

The findings come after a six month investigation by Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse, a group of volunteers, many of whom have backgrounds in law enforcement.

“My investigators believe that the long-form birth certificate was manufactured electronically and that it did not originate in a paper format as claimed by the White House,” Arpaio said.

Arpaio’s investigators said the issue they are most concerned with is that the “date stamp and registrar’s stamp appear to have been imported from unknown outside sources.”

Read moreArizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio On Obama’s Birth Certificate And Selective Service Registration Card: ‘Probable Cause Exists Indicating That Forgery And Fraud May Have Been Committed’ (Video)

Arizona Sheriff Explains Operation ‘Fast And Furious’, Calls ATF And Eric Holder Murder Accomplices (Video)

October 10, 2011 by Infinite

YouTube

Sheriff Paul Babeu implicates Eric Holder and the Obama Justice Department as accomplices in the crimes involving weapons used in the “Fast and Furious” scandal.

More info:

– Fast And Furious Assault Weapons Found In Mexico Cartel Enforcer’s Home

– New Fast and Furious Docs Released By White House … Some Records Were NOT Included Because Of ‘Significant Confidentiality Interests’

– Operation ‘Fast And Furious’ Just Might Be President Obama’s Watergate

– Several White House Officials Knew About Gun Trafficking Operation ‘FAST AND FURIOUS’

– AND NOW: Federal Agents Allowed Drug Cartel To Smuggle Tons Of Cocaine Into US

– Guns From Illegal ATF ‘Operation Fast and Furious’ Found At Mexican Crime Scenes

Arizona: 9 Of Quartzsite’s 14 Cops Suspended After Blowing Whistle On Chief

July 27, 2011 by Infinite

– 9 of Quartzsite’s 14 cops suspended after blowing whistle on Chief; Governor Ignores (Activist Post, July 26, 2011):

Governor Jan Brewer continues to ignore the international attention paid to Quartzsite, Arizona over $5 million in corruption charges, while the Chief of Police suspended nine of the city’s 14 police officers with pay, ordering them not to leave their homes between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm.

All of the suspended officers blew the whistle on the chief, calling for an independent investigation into several serious charges, including false arrests and violating federal medical privacy laws.

Freedom Watch reported:

YouTube

In response to citizen demands for action, Brewer’s office wrote:

Read moreArizona: 9 Of Quartzsite’s 14 Cops Suspended After Blowing Whistle On Chief

‘Emergency’ Declared In AZ Town Over Corruption Allegations

July 13, 2011July 13, 2011 by Infinite

– ‘Emergency’ declared in AZ town over allegations (AP, July 11, 2011):

PHOENIX (AP) — The far western Arizona town of Quartzsite was in a state of upheaval Monday after the town council ousted the mayor from power and declared a state of emergency, all over an online video that shows a woman being arrested.

Mayor Ed Foster told The Associated Press on Monday that the town council held a last-minute meeting that was closed to the public Sunday night, declaring a state of emergency in the 3,600-person town just east of the California city of Blythe.

The council’s declaration put police Chief Jeff Gilbert in charge, making Foster the “deputy chief executive of nothing right now,” he said. It also allows the five-member council to meet without public notice and suspend all public comment at the meetings until they declare the state of emergency over.

“I’m going to tell you frankly, this council is out of control,” Foster said. “The chief has been out of control for some time and I’ve asked the state government to help a number of times,” to no avail.

Foster described the government and Gilbert as corrupt and abusive of their power, and said all their recent actions are frantic efforts to cover up millions of dollars of money from lining some of their pockets.

Both Gilbert’s and the town hall’s phone numbers rang busy most of the day Monday, and all five council members and the town manager did not immediately return email requests for comment.

Read more‘Emergency’ Declared In AZ Town Over Corruption Allegations

Phoenix Dust Storm: Doomsday Scenes in Arizona (Video)

July 6, 2011 by Infinite

YouTube Added: 06.07.2011

These amazing pictures from the United States show a wall of dust moving through the city of Phoenix in Arizona. Sandstorms like this happen during the region’s monsoon season, which is underway. They occur over desert land and can reach thousands of feet into the air, spurred by strong winds. The dense cloud dramatically reduced visibility, grounding flights at a major airport and leaving thousands without electricity.

Why More US Troops At Korean Border Than Mexican Border?

June 22, 2011June 22, 2011 by Infinite

– AZ Sheriff: Why More Troops at Korean Border Than U.S. Border? (CNSNews, June 20, 201):

(CNSNews.com) – Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu said the Obama administration’s decision to extend the deployment of 1,200 U.S. National Guard troops along the U.S. border with Mexico until Sept. 30 is “pandering” and that those numbers “fall far short” of what military power is needed to keep the country safe.

Babeu noted, for comparison, the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to help defend it against North Korean aggression; U.S. troops have been stationed in South Korea for 58 years.

Read moreWhy More US Troops At Korean Border Than Mexican Border?

66% Of Las Vegas Mortgages Are Underwater, 27.7% Of Total US Housing Debt Has Negative And Near-Negative Equity

June 7, 2011 by Infinite

– 66% Of Las Vegas Mortgages Are Underwater, 27.7% Of Total US Housing Debt Has Negative And Near-Negative Equity (ZeroHedge, June 7, 2011):

Following yesterday’s news out of Zillow of a 0.77% drop in April home values compared to March, today we get an update from CoreLogic which in turn looks at the latest trends on “underwater” (or negative equity) mortgages in the US. In summary: “10.9 million, or 22.7 percent, of all residential properties with a mortgage were in negative equity at the end of the first quarter of 2011, down slightly from 11.1 million, or 23.1 percent, in the fourth quarter. An additional 2.4 million borrowers had less than five percent equity, referred to as near-negative equity, in the first quarter. Together, negative equity and near-negative equity mortgages accounted for 27.7 percent of all residential properties with a mortgage nationwide. In the fourth quarter, these two categories stood at 27.9 percent.” The most impacted state is Nevada, which has 62.6% of all mortgages underwater (with another 4.8% in near-negative), followed by Arizona, Florida and Michigan. California is fifth with 30.9% of all homes underwater. We doubt these millions of “homeowners” are benefiting much from the wealth effect.

Five US Soldiers Killed In Iraq – US Missiles Kill 16 In Pakistan

June 6, 2011 by Infinite

– Five U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq…U.S. missiles kill 16 in Pakistan…Ariz. still battling fires (AP, June 6 2011)

BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S. military says 5 American troops have been killed in central Iraq. A military statement says the 5 were killed today, but doesn’t say how they died. The number of U.S. service members killed in Iraq is now 4,459.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) — Intelligence officials in Pakistan say U.S. missiles fired in South Waziristan, near the Afghan border, have killed 16 people. The identities of the dead aren’t known, but the targets were suspected militants.

GREER, Ariz. (AP) — More than 2,000 firefighters are battling a huge wildfire in eastern Arizona. The blaze already is 184,000 acres and is likely to get bigger with winds and dry lightning. Firefighters have been able to keep a wildfire in southeastern Arizona from occupied homes. That 100,000-acre fire seems to be holding steady.

REAL ID in Arizona Immigration Bill

March 9, 2011 by Infinite

Hmmh.

Arizona To Pass 2012 Presidential Eligibility Law: Obama Will Have To Produce Birth Certificate To Run Again

January 26, 2011 by Infinite

Don’t miss:

– Hawaii Official Now Swears: No Obama Birth Certificate Exists

It could be a game-changer.

A plan in Arizona to require presidential candidates to prove their eligibility to occupy the Oval Office is approaching critical mass, even though it has just been introduced.

The proposal from state Rep. Judy Burges, who carried a similar plan that fell short last year only because of political maneuvering, was introduced yesterday with 16 members of the state Senate as co-sponsors.

It needs only 16 votes in the Senate to pass.

In the House, there are 25 co-sponsors, with the need for only 31 votes for passage, and Burges told WND that there were several chamber members who confirmed they support the plan and will vote for it, but simply didn’t wish to be listed as co-sponsors.

The proposal, which also is being taken up in a number of other states, is highly specific and directly addresses the questions that have been raised by Barack Obama’s occupancy of the White House. It says:

Within ten days after submittal of the names of the candidates, the national political party committee shall submit an affidavit of the presidential candidate in which the presidential candidate states the candidate’s citizenship and age and shall append to the affidavit documents that prove that the candidate is a natural born citizen, prove the candidate’s age and prove that the candidate meets the residency requirements for President of the United States as prescribed in article II, section 1, Constitution of the United States.

The critical phrases are “natural born citizen” and the requirements of “article II, section 1, Constitution of the United States,” which imposes on the president a requirement not demanded of other state and federal officeholders.

At the time the Constitution was written, many analysts agree, a “natural born citizen” was considered to be a citizen born of two citizen parents. If that indeed is correct, Obama never would have been qualified to be president, as he himself has confirmed his father was a Kenyan subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom, making Obama a dual citizen with Kenyan and American parentage at his birth.

Other definitions have called for a “natural born citizen” to be born of citizen parents inside the nation.

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Responds to Federal Government Suit

September 3, 2010 by Infinite

Added: 2. September 2010

Related information:

– Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Being Sued By Federal Government

– Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu: ‘Mexican Drug Cartels Literally Do Control Parts Of Arizona’

– Mexican Drug Cartel Puts $1 Million Bounty On Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Head

– Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Being Sued By Federal Government

September 3, 2010 by Infinite

Related information:

– Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Responds to Federal Government Suit

– Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu: ‘Mexican Drug Cartels Literally Do Control Parts Of Arizona’

– Mexican Drug Cartel Puts $1 Million Bounty On Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Head

– Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’

An Arizona sheriff is being sued by the US Justice Department after refusing to hand over records for a year into an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio Photo: AFP/GETTY

The lawsuit claims that they have been trying since March last year to get Sheriff Joe Arpaio and officials to comply with its investigation of alleged discrimination and unconstitutional searches and seizures.

Sheriff Arpaio called the actions harassment, adding that his office will not hand over additional documents because the federal authorities have not said exactly what they are investigation.

“They have hundreds of thousands of reports, hundreds of thousands,” he said. “They’re so broad, we’re trying to narrow it down. We’re trying to work with them.”

The lawsuit is the latest action against Arizona by the federal government, which earlier sued the state to stop its strict new immigration law that requires police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally.

“The actions of the sheriff’s office are unprecedented,” said Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the department’s civil rights division. “It is unfortunate that the department was forced to resort to litigation to gain access to public documents and facilities.”

Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu: ‘Mexican Drug Cartels Literally Do Control Parts Of Arizona’

September 2, 2010 by Infinite

– Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’

Signs in Arizona warn of smuggler dangers

Drivers advised to travel north

ASSOCIATED PRESS Federal police stand guard by Texas-born kingpin Edgar ASSOCIATED PRESS Federal police stand guard by Texas-born kingpin Edgar “La Barbie” Valdez during his presentation to the press in Mexico City on Tuesday. Valdez, who was captured on Monday by federal police, faces drug-trafficking charges in the U.S. and has been blamed for a vicious turf war that has included bodies hung from bridges and shootouts in central Mexico.

The federal government has posted signs along a major interstate highway in Arizona, more than 100 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, warning travelers the area is unsafe because of drug and alien smugglers, and a local sheriff says Mexican drug cartels now control some parts of the state.

The signs were posted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) along a 60-mile stretch of Interstate 8 between Casa Grande and Gila Bend, a major east-west corridor linking Tucson and Phoenix with San Diego.

They warn travelers that they are entering an “active drug and human smuggling area” and they may encounter “armed criminals and smuggling vehicles traveling at high rates of speed.” Beginning less than 50 miles south of Phoenix, the signs encourage travelers to “use public lands north of Interstate 8” and to call 911 if they “see suspicious activity.”

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, whose county lies at the center of major drug and alien smuggling routes to Phoenix and cities east and west, attests to the violence. He said his deputies are outmanned and outgunned by drug traffickers in the rough-hewn desert stretches of his own county.

“Mexican drug cartels literally do control parts of Arizona,” he said. “They literally have scouts on the high points in the mountains and in the hills and they literally control movement. They have radios, they have optics, they have night-vision goggles as good as anything law enforcement has.

“This is going on here in Arizona,” he said. “This is 70 to 80 miles from the border – 30 miles from the fifth-largest city in the United States.”

He said he asked the Obama administration for 3,000 National Guard soldiers to patrol the border, but what he got were 15 signs.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer condemned what she called the federal government’s “continued failure to secure our international border,” saying the lack of security has resulted in important natural recreational areas in her state being declared too dangerous to visit.

In a recent campaign video posted to YouTube, Mrs. Brewer – standing in front of one of the BLM signs – attacked the administration over the signs, calling them “an outrage” and telling President Obama to “Do your job. Secure our borders.”

– Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Slams President Obama: Warning Signs Are Not Enough

BLM spokesman Dennis Godfrey in Arizona said agency officials were surprised by the reaction the signs generated when they were put up this summer.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum: Florida legislation goes ‘one step further’ than Arizona immigration law

August 11, 2010 by Infinite

Florida Attorney General proposes tougher illegal immigrant curbs

ORLANDO (Reuters) – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum on Wednesday proposed tougher curbs against illegal migrants in his melting-pot state which he said would go “one step further” than a similar contested Arizona law.

The proposal by McCollum, who is lagging in a race to become the Republican candidate for governor, was certain to thrust Florida into the heated immigration debate that is a major issue ahead of November 2 midterm Congressional elections.

“This legislation will provide new enforcement tools for protecting our citizens and will help our state fight the ongoing problem created by illegal immigration,” McCollum said, presenting the proposed measures at an event in Orlando.

“Florida will not be a sanctuary state for illegal aliens,” added McCollum, accompanied by Representative Will Snyder.

The legislation will require Florida law enforcement officials to check a suspected illegal immigrant’s status in the course of a stop, or a violation of another law. This goes beyond the existing situation in the state where officers are allowed to check immigration status, but not required to.

Mexican Drug Cartel Puts $1 Million Bounty On Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Head

August 3, 2010 by Infinite

PHOENIX – He’s been at the center of the discussions and controversies surrounding illegal immigration enforcement in Arizona for quite a while.

On the day parts of Arizona’s immigration law, SB 1070, went into effect, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is in the news for another reason: there’s a price on his head – allegedly offered by a Mexican drug cartel.

The audio message in Spanish is a bit garbled, but the text is clear.

It’s offering $1 million for Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s head and $10,000 for anyone who wants to join the Mexican cartel.

Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’

August 2, 2010August 2, 2010 by Infinite

Pinal County (Ariz.) Sheriff Paul Babeu

(CNSNews.com) – Pinal County (Ariz.) Sheriff Paul Babeu is hopping mad at the federal government.

Babeu told CNSNews.com that rather than help law enforcement in Arizona stop the hundreds of thousands of people who come into the United States illegally, the federal government is targeting the state and its law enforcement personnel.

“What’s very troubling is the fact that at a time when we in law enforcement and our state need help from the federal government, instead of sending help they put up billboard-size signs warning our citizens to stay out of the desert in my county because of dangerous drug and human smuggling and weapons and bandits and all these other things and then, behind that, they drag us into court with the ACLU,” Babeu said.

The sheriff was referring to the law suits filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the state’s new immigration law.

“So who has partnered with the ACLU?” Babeu said in a telephone interview with CNSNews.com. “It’s the president and (Attorney General) Eric Holder himself. And that’s simply outrageous.”

Last week, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton placed a temporary injunction on portions of the bill that allowed law enforcement personnel during the course of a criminal investigation who have probable cause to think an individual is in the country illegally to check immigration status. The state of Arizona filed an appeal on Thursday with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“Our own government has become our enemy and is taking us to court at a time when we need help,” Babeu said.

Arizona is preparing an appeal of immigration ruling

July 29, 2010 by Infinite

PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona is preparing to ask an appeals court to lift a judge’s ruling that put most of the state’s immigration law on hold in a key first-round victory for the federal government in a fight that may go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Gov. Jan Brewer called Wednesday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton “a bump in the road” and vowed to appeal.

Protesters in Phoenix went ahead with plans Thursday for a march to the state Capitol and a sit-in at the office of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The sheriff said if protestors were disruptive, they’d be arrested, and he vowed to go ahead with a crime sweep targeting illegal immigrants.

President Obama sends 1,200 National Guardsmen to seal Mexican border

August 17, 2010July 21, 2010 by Infinite

Attempt to stop illegal immigrants and drugs comes as critics warn Arizona law will lead to racial profiling

The fence on the US-Mexico border. (AP)

About 1,200 soldiers from the US National Guard are to be deployed along the border with Mexico from 1 August to try to tackle the twin problems of illegal immigration and drug-smuggling.

About half of the troops are to be sent to Arizona, which is at the centre of the national debate over illegal immigration. The state is planning to introduce a law next week to crack down on people entering unlawfully.

There is a 30ft steel fence running along much of the US border, including the section that runs through Arizona, but much of the area is so remote that those crossing illegally can easily put up ladders and climb over. Drug cartels are even more brazen, occasionally ramming the fence in heavily armoured jeeps.

Gov. Schwarzenegger Mobilizes National Guard to Border

July 19, 2010 by Infinite

Soldiers watch for criminal activity in the US-Mexico border.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday mobilized members of the California National Guard as part of a federal effort to deter drug trafficking and illegal immigration along the border with Mexico.

His order supports President Barack Obama’s plan to have 1,200 National Guard troops assist with federal border protection, customs and immigration agents.

The move comes amid a national debate over an Arizona law that directs police to conduct immigration checks when they are questioning people about possible legal violations. There must be a “reasonable suspicion” the person is in the country illegally.

Obama asked California to deploy 224 Guard members for as long as a year, but California National Guard spokesman Lt. Patrick Bagley said as many as 260 soldiers and airmen will head to the border by Oct. 1.

Obama Administration To Sue Arizona Over Immigration Law

July 7, 2010 by Infinite

– Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Slams President Obama: Warning Signs Are Not Enough

Republicans condemn White House move to reassert its authority on immigration policy

Part of a large steel fence separating Mexico and Arizona. The state is the biggest entry point into the US for illegal immigrants. Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA

The Obama administration has moved to reassert its authority on immigration policy by suing Arizona state over its draconian plans to curb illegal immigration.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Phoenix, argues that Arizona’s law requiring state and local police to question anyone they reasonably suspect of being an illegal immigrant undermines the federal government’s authority.

Obama administration to challenge Arizona immigration law

June 27, 2010 by Infinite

The White House is expected to file a lawsuit next week. Arizona has raised more than $120,000 in private donations to defend the legislation.

Reporting from Washington — A White House showdown with the state of Arizona over its tough new immigration law is likely to unfold next week, when the Obama administration is expected to file a lawsuit aimed at blocking the state’s bid to curb illegal immigration on its own, according to people familiar with the administration’s plans.

Arizona officials are girding for the legal challenge. The state has raised $123,000 in private donations to defend the law, according to Gov. Jan Brewer’s office. Money has come in from all 50 states, in donations as little as $1.

Obama administration officials declined to reveal the basis for the suit. But legal experts say the challenge is likely to include the argument that in passing the law, Arizona violated the Constitution by intruding on the federal government’s authority to regulate immigration.

To date, the state has been hit with five lawsuits. The law, SB 1070, was signed in April and is scheduled to go into effect July 29.

By confronting Arizona, the Obama administration would be making a political statement as much as a legal one. Obama has already criticized the Arizona law as “misdirected.” Criminal action against illegal immigrants is not, by itself, a satisfactory solution to the nation’s dysfunctional immigration system, the White House says.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Slams President Obama: Warning Signs Are Not Enough

June 26, 2010 by Infinite

Added: 25. June 2010

Earlier this month, Governor Jan Brewer sat in the Oval Office with President Barack Obama to discuss the critical issue of border security. The Governor personally related to the President the concerns of millions of Arizonans over the lack of security on Arizona’s southern border. During their visit, President Obama committed to present details, within two weeks of their meeting, regarding his plans to commit National Guard troops to the Arizona border and commit to spend $500 million in additional funds on border security.

Governor Brewer remains eager to receive the specific details of President Obama’s border security plans. She continues to extend an invitation to the President to visit with families living along the southwestern border and see the situation firsthand.

Arizona Threatens to Cut Off Electricity Supply to Los Angeles

May 20, 2010 by Infinite

Arizona could cut off electricity supplies to Los Angeles in protest at an economic boycott over the state’s controversial immigration law.

Los Angeles could be plunged into darkness if the threats are realised

Los Angeles receives about 25 per cent of its power from Arizona, meaning a quarter of America’s second largest city could be plunged into darkness.

Politicians in the city voted last week to impose a boycott on Arizona which will affect about $8 million (£5.3 million) worth of contracts with the state. City officials will also stop travelling to Arizona.

In response an Arizona utility commissioner raised the prospect of the state’s utility companies cutting Los Angeles off.

In a letter to the city Arizona Corporation Commission member Gary Pierce said: “If an economic boycott is truly what you desire, I will be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renegotiate your power agreements so Los Angeles no longer receives any power from Arizona-based generation.

“I am confident that Arizona’s utilities would be happy to take those electrons off your hands.

“If, however, you find that the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona’s economy.” Mr Pierce said if Los Angeles was “serious” about its boycott and not just “posturing” then it would have to consider supplying its own power.

Arizona Clears Strict Immigration Bill: Gives Police The Power to Stop Anyone They Suspect of Being Illegal

April 14, 2010 by Infinite

Arizona lawmakers on Tuesday passed one of the toughest pieces of immigration-enforcement legislation in the country, which would make it a violation of state law to be in the U.S. without proper documentation.

It would also grant police the power to stop and verify the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being illegal.

The bill could still face a veto from Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. A spokesman for Ms. Brewer said she has not publicly commented on the bill. Ms. Brewer, a Republican, has argued for stringent immigration laws.

Under the measure, passed Tuesday by Arizona’s lower house, after being passed earlier by the state Senate, foreign nationals are required to carry proof of legal residency.