REFERENCE TITLE: sovereign authority; refugees

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-second Legislature Second Regular Session 2016

HB 2370

Introduced by Representatives Thorpe: Boyer, Cobb, Fann, Finchem, Mesnard, Townsend

 

AN ACT

 

amending title 1, chapter 2, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 1-272; relating to sovereign authority.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Title 1, chapter 2, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 1-272, to read:

START_STATUTE1-272.  Sovereign authority; refugees; prohibition; notice

A.  Pursuant to the sovereign authority of this state and article II, section 3, Constitution of Arizona, this state and all political subdivisions of this state are prohibited from using any personnel or financial resources to enforce, administer or cooperate with any action of the United States government that places within this state any refugee, unaccompanied alien child or other person who is not a citizen of the United States unless:

1.  the person has undergone a thorough criminal history, terrorism and health background check and has been approved for placement by this state.

2.  the united states GOVERNMENT has agreed to fully reimburse this STATE and its political subdivisions for the ongoing costs of the placement that are incurred by this state and its political subdivisions.

B.  The attorney general shall annually notify the Speaker of the united states house of representatives, the majority LEADER of the united states senate and the United States department of justice of this section. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.  Legislative findings

A.  The United States government has not fulfilled its constitutional responsibilities to ensure secure international borders and to regulate lawful, controlled and limited immigration.

B.  The United States government has placed noncitizen refugees, unaccompanied alien children and other noncitizens within this state without the knowledge or permission of state and local officials and without disclosing the personal information and locations where these individuals are residing.

C.  It typically costs the taxpayers of this state tens of thousands of dollars annually to provide public education and public assistance for each noncitizen refugee, unaccompanied alien child or other noncitizen placed within this state by the United States government.

D.  The United States government has not provided full reimbursement of all state and local costs associated with the placement of noncitizen refugees, unaccompanied alien children and other noncitizens placed within this state by the United States government.

E.  This state has no confidence that the United States government has fully and competently vetted each noncitizen refugee, unaccompanied alien child and other noncitizen placed within this state by the United States government for health conditions and routine vaccinations.  Therefore, the United States government has potentially compromised the public health of the citizens of this state.

F.  This state has no confidence that the United States government has fully and competently vetted each noncitizen refugee, unaccompanied alien child and other noncitizen placed within this state by the United States government for criminal and terrorist backgrounds and associations.  Therefore, the United States government has potentially compromised the safety of the citizens of this state.