 U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder suggested Sunday that the U.S. government may bring a lawsuit against the state of Arizona to halt enforcement of the new immigration law. The Arizona Republic has published an important 15-year timeline which helps put the law in perspective.
One interesting fact was that the law's author Russell Pearce first got involved in this when his son, a Maricopa County Deputy Sheriff was shot by an illegal immigrant. Check out the entire timeline by clicking here.
• 1996: Legislature passes a law requiring proof of citizenship to get a driver's license. Russell Pearce, director of the state Motor Vehicle Division, wrote the law.
• 1997: Chandler police and federal agents spend five days rounding up suspected illegal immigrants in downtown neighborhoods. They make 340 arrests, taking some legal residents into custody. City officials later pay $500,000 in legal settlements and spend years apologizing.
• 1998: Rep. Tom Smith, R-Phoenix, proposes a bill to require ID be shown at the polls. It fails in the Senate. Another bill requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote doesn't get out of committee
• 1999: Arizona ranchers ask lawmakers to call on the National Guard to come to the border to suppress an "invasion." Effort goes nowhere, beyond some lawmakers reading a proclamation about border violations.
• 2000: Voters endorse a requirement for English immersion in schools, banning bilingual education. It passes 63 percent to 37 percent.
• 2001: Pearce begins first term as state representative.
• 2004: Pearce's son Sean, a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputy, is shot and wounded by an illegal immigrant.
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