An Outrage in Arizona

It is rare, indeed, to find ourselves nodding in agreement with a pronouncement from a politician named Bush.

But when Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, became the first prominent national Republican to speak out against Arizona’s new, draconian immigration law, he reminded us that there was a time not long ago when some of his party’s leaders understood the need for both comprehensive immigration reform and protection of civil liberties.

The Arizona law, a creature of the state’s GOP, is offensive in two ways, one abstract, the other personal. Since, oh, the early-19th century, immigration has been a federal issue in the United States, under the wise assumption that, even when there were fewer states in the union, it would be wrongheaded and impractical for each one to have a different policy and method of enforcement. Guarding its borders is a fundamental obligation of any nation, and Arizona’s decision to go it alone sets a dangerous precedent.

On a personal level, it’s not difficult to imagine the fear created by this law — the fear by anyone resembling an “alien” that, without the proper papers, he or she can be arrested. But there is another fear as well. Many police are concerned that their new job description — enforcer of immigration laws — will distract them from pursuing more serious crime, damage their relationships with the Hispanic community, and invite potential abuse.

“Illegal immigration is complicated, but it can be resolved. And it must be resolved in a way that upholds both our laws and our highest ideals.” That was another Bush, the former president, in his 2008 State of the Union address. What an astonishing turn the Republican Party has made, that such a basic sentiment is now so cruelly disregarded.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected].

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’ve started our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we need 1,800 readers like you to step up to support the Forward by April 21. Members of the Forward board are even matching the first 1,000 gifts, up to $70,000.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism, because every dollar goes twice as far.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO