Senator asks for delay of Arizona law

Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Thursday asked Arizona's Republican governor to delay implementation of a state law that gives police the power to detain and question anybody suspected of being in the country illegally.

In a letter, Schumer asked Gov. Jan Brewer to call on her state's legislature to delay enactment of the law to give Congress sufficient time to pass a comprehensive immigration bill that would secure the nation's borders, give an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country a path to citizenship and create a framework to bring foreign workers into the United States.

Notably, Schumer asked Brewer for a one-year delay, although he added that work is being done in the Senate to produce a bill this year. Latino and other grassroots groups who support immigration reform want Congress to pass a bill this summer.

Schumer also asked Brewer to issue a public call to Arizona Republican Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl "to immediately begin discussions" on a bill. McCain and Kyl have denounced efforts to pass an immigration reform bill this year, saying the federal government needs to first secure the Southwest border.

Indeed, they have introduced a 10-point border security action plan that calls for, among other things, deploying National Guard troops to the border and flying unmanned drones around the clock.

"The only way to combat illegal immigration is through comprehensive immigration reform, as it is the only practical solution that can pass in both the House and Senate," Schumer wrote. "A bipartisan bill would likely require completion of significant border security measures, such as the border reinforcements sought by Senators McCain and Kyl, before any other measures could take effect."

Brewer's office could not be immediately reached for comment.

President Obama upset immigration reform advocates on Wednesday when he said during a White House ceremony he wants to begin work on immigration reform this year, a choice of words that suggested he did not expect to enact such legislation until sometime later.

America's Voice, a pro-reform group, said Obama's comments "deflated momentum" for legislation. "We need bold and immediate leadership from the president if we are to have a chance to enact comprehensive immigration reform this year," Frank Sharry, executive director of the group, said in a statement.

"Arizona just declared open season on Latino immigrants, more than a half million people took to the streets this past Saturday to protest the inaction in Washington, Senate Democrats have stepped up with a centrist and serious reform proposal, and the window of opportunity for legislative movement before the mid-terms is about to close," Sharry added. "And what the president wants is a process? This is a prescription for delay not deliverance."

Meanwhile, Service Employees International Union Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina announced that the 2.2 million-member union will boycott conventions and meetings in Arizona in an effort to counter the new law.

"It's time for Republican leadership in Arizona and in Congress to prove to working families that they are truly committed to fixing our broken immigration system and are willing to put politics aside to lead on this critical issue," Medina said. "Until Republicans stop blocking real reform and instead work with Democrats in Congress to pass comprehensive reform legislation, we will see more senseless legislation like [the Arizona law] in states across the country."