Daily Border Bulletin - Legal defense of AZ law tops $2 million, AL Gov. Immigration law hard to enforce, and more

Arizona spends little over 2 million in legal fees defending SB1070: Days after SB1070 mastermind Russel Pearce lost his recall election, it has been revealed that Arizona has spent a little over $2 million  in defending the anti-immigrant law.  "Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's office says the state has now spent just over $2 million of donated money in its legal defense of the 2010 immigration enforcement law known as SB1070.  Brewer's office says that's the total spending after an expenditure of nearly $500,000 for legal fees incurred by a Phoenix law firm in the 10 months through September. "

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley Says New Immigration Law Must be Simplified:  Alabama's immigration law has been touted the toughest in the nation, it is also appearently the most confusing.  Much of the problems associated with any state passed immigration law comes from how best to implement them.  From a very basic municipal level, thesee laws create fissures in everyday activity. The Governor of Alabama is finding this out the hard way. "Alabama's immigration law has plenty of critics. But you wouldn't expect one of them to be the man who signed the measure into law. Gov. Robert Bentley, who still firmly supports the law's objective to crack down on illegal immigration, wants the Legislature to simplify the state's tough new immigration law that has been challenged in court, with some of its provisions put on hold by a judge. The Legislature passed the law in late June with the Republican governor's approval and it took effect in late September. "We did pass a very complicated bill," Bentley told the Birmingham Business Alliance "

Feds Ask Supreme Court To Stay Away From AZ Immigration Law:  The federal government has asked the Supreme Court not to take up a law suit from Arizona over the enforcement of SB1070. "The U.S. Justice Department asked the Supreme Court  Thursday to leave be a lawsuit involving Arizona's controversial immigration law, claiming that lower courts have already blocked tough provisions targeting undocumented immigrants. The state law is a challenge to federal policy and is designed to establish Arizona's own immigration policy, the department's solicitor general said in a filing with the justices. Arizona says the law is an effort to cooperate with the federal government."

Also please be sure to join NDN and the New Policy Institute on Wednesday, November 16th for a lunchtime discussion about the challenges and opportunities leaders in the US-Mexico border region are facing today. Joining us will be a terrific set of elected officials and law enforcement officials, all from the region. Seating is limited, so please RSVP today to reserve your spot. Lunch will be served at noon, and the program will begin at 12:15pm.  All of this will take place at NDN’s offices on 729 15th Street, NW on the 1st floor.