Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform is a grass roots organization comprised of over 400 small, medium and large businesses who believe the goal of sensible federal immigration reform is possible if the public and elected officials are informed of the facts and understand the history and successes (or lack thereof) of local and state immigration enforcement efforts.

Membership in AZEIR is open to any Arizona-based business regardless of size or number of employees. If you would like to join AZEIR, click on the Join AZEIR link at the bottom of this page.

To sign up for our mailing list, please click on the link below. It is the best way to stay current on AZEIR events, research notifications and alerts.

 

SB1517: A Reasonable Correction to LAWA

On Monday, January 30, 2012, nine Arizona Senators sponsored the first real improvement to the Legal Arizona Workers Act of 2007 with the introduction of SB1517. This long-overdue, yet simple, change to the law adds a "safe harbor" provision to the law providing business owners complete legal protection against lawsuit or charges of hiring undocumented workers provided they follow all of the rules of law. Introduced by Senator Jerry Lewis (R-18), SB1517 brings the Arizona statute into alignment with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Chamber of Commerce of the United States vs. Whiting, which said LAWA provided business users of E-Verify a "safe harbor" against federal violation, but it did not provide it in state law. By making a simple change in the existing statute, businesses who now follow the rule of law to the letter and who are not involved in other conspiracy or knowingly aware of fraud will not be under threat of loss of their business license.

• "This is good and fair--and about time!"
  Nan Walden, V.P. and Counsel of Farmers Investment Company
  
  
• "To the sponsors and co-sponsors thank you for this simple bill."
  Joe Sigg, Arizona Farm Bureau
  
  
• "Businesses who follow government regulations to the letter should not live under threat of loss of business licenses. This fix is a no-brainer and is long overdue."
  David Selden, Immigration Law Attorney, The Cavanagh Law Firm

The change will give employers a greater incentive to utilize the E-Verify Program because doing so will alleviate the risk that they could be subject to prosecution for employing persons that the E-Verify system confirms are authorized to work in this country. By encouraging more employers to use E-Verify by creating this safe harbor, the change will promote higher levels of immigration compliance.

Bill sponsors: Senator Lewis; Representative Ash: Senators Barto, Crandall, Driggs, McComish, Nelson, Reagan, Yarbrough

Read SB1517

9 Out Of 10 Immigration Statements Are Wrong

Using a simple analysis of two media "fact check" web sites that examined the truthfulness of public statements regarding immigration (Politifact and AZ Fact Check), AZEIR found that for each source, statements by politicians of both parties were wrong 9 out of 10 times. This stunning finding raises serious questions about the factual basis of the immigration debate and the motivations of those who make or repeat false statements. Unquestionably, the truth must be the sole basis for discussing the issue and finding immigration solutions. We must hold politicians accountable for misstatements of fact. Anything less adds to the problem and makes sensible solutions less likely.

Read more

Arizona Accord - Five Principles For Sensible Reform

Endorsed by a broad range of business, faith-based and civic groups, the Arizona Accord, with its five principles on immigration reform, was unveiled today (24 January 2012) in a signing ceremony held in the historic Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.

The Arizona Accord provides a broad set of guiding principles on issues related to immigration which can act as a foundation in all efforts – government and private – to find solutions to the complicated questions surrounding the federal immigration system. The five principles found in the Arizona Accord deal with finding federal solutions; respecting and supporting an appropriate role for law enforcement; recognizing the importance of protecting families in order to sustain our communities; supporting a free-market economy that acknowledges the contribution immigrants bring to our nation’s workforce and embracing the culture of inclusion by welcoming people of goodwill to our state and country.

"Everyone needs to understand the Accord isn't a law and it isn't intended to become one," said Richard Usher, Board member and co-founder of Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform. "These are simple and straightforward principles those involved in solving the immigration problem can follow as they create and implement sensible solutions. We’ve seen the problems doing it the wrong way creates and our hope is that following these five principles allows us to quickly and effectively address the immigration problem in ways that secures the border while facilitating and promoting legal economic growth."

Show Your Support for the Arizona Accord

The citizens of Arizona are welcome to express their support for these principles by going online and signing the Arizona Accord for themselves. The Arizona Accord web site can be found at: www.azaccord.com

Press release | Event Photos

Get The Facts on Immigration and Reform

The Immigration Policy Council has released their updated report "The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in the Grand Canyon State." Get the report.and obtain the fact sheets for Arizona and the other 50 states.

Upcoming Public Events

Prescott Unitarian Universalist Civic Dialogue
March 3, 2012 - 10:00AM
945 Rancho Vista Rd, Prescott, AZ 86303
web site

Changing Hands Speaker Series
March 20, 2012 - 7:00PM
6428 S McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283
480.730.0205

Follow AZEIR on Facebook

Of course we're social! Get the latest immigration reform news and information and connect with other professionals interested in sensible reforms on AZEIR's Facebook page.

AZEIR's Arizona Immigration Solutions Conferences

Arizona Immigration Solutions Conference At Rio Salado College (Top left) and Flagstaff High Country Center (Top Right) Mesa at Mesa Community College (Center Right), Tucson (Bottom Left) and Yuma at Arizona Western College (Bottom Right).

The purpose of the Arizona Immigration Solutions Conference (AISC) was to open a thoughtful and informed public dialogue about our state's immigration policies. It asked two simple yet responsible questions: "are Arizona's strategies working?" and "if not, then what should we be doing to address the problem?" To answer these questions, the AISC brings in nationally known researchers, state and local elected officials, business owners and community and faith leaders to look closely at how we're doing and ask tough questions about whether we're spending our resources wisely, where we're headed and examine new and different solutions. It is non-partisan, non-judgmental and fact-based.

The first three conferences were held at Rio Salado College in Tempe in May, Flagstaff in August, Mesa in September, Tucson in October, and the final in Yuma in mid-November. These conferences were sponsored by AZEIR along with sponsors, The Real Arizona Coalition, One Arizona/Interfaith Leaders and local business groups.

Information from previous conferences can be found at these links:

• Tempe, May 7, 2011
• Flagstaff, August 27, 2011
• Mesa, September 17, 2011
• Tucson, October 15, 2011
• Yuma, November 12, 2011

AZEIR In The Community

Over past few years, AZEIR has had the opportunity to address community and business groups throughout Arizona and help shed some light as to the facts of immigration and immigrants and their impact on all aspects of the economy. The following online presentations were developed to be used to educate the public business owners and elected officials. Feel free to share these with your friends and business associates.

Immigration Facts - Click to View	Avoiding Arizona's Mistakes
State Immigration Laws: Bad for Business?

If you would like an AZIER representative to speak to your business or community group, please send us an email. Please be aware we are not able to accommodate all requests.

AZEIR In The States

As other states have began introducing Arizona-style immigration bills, chambers of commerce, business trade organizations and community groups began to look to AZEIR for suggestion in how to best educate elected officials and the public about the practical impacts these laws have on the business community and the economy. By contacting AZEIR and working with other organizations who share similar objectives of sensible immigration legislation, AZEIR was able to help these states warn legislators and business owners about the impacts and steer them towards more practical approaches, particularly at the federal level. Below is a list of the state where AZEIR has testified before their state legislatures.

• Utah (twice)
• Kansas
• Texas (four times)

Online Testimony

• Utah House Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Committee
• Texas House Committee on State Affairs (timestamp 5:21:30)

We were fortunate to have been able to influence sensible changes or defeat of Arizona-style bills in each of these states.

If you would like to see if AZEIR can help you put together fact-based informational programs for your state, please contact us by sending us an email. We will be happy to see how we may be able to assist you in promoting sensible immigration efforts in your state.

Last updated: January 31, 2012