| Crisis Declared: New Mexico and Arizona |
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While the left-wing continues to vacillate over the question of illegal immigration and even secure borders during a War on Terror and the Bush Administration flirts with an illegal immigrant plan that defies workable implementation, circumstances forced Democratic Governor Bill Richardson to acknowledge the effects of such lawlessness on the citizens of his state. They have been "devasted" by drug smuggling and - surprise! - illegal immigrants. He has finally realized what the Minutemen realized in Texas: Border Emergency Declared in New Mexico . Governor Bill Richardson has Hispanic roots so it must be especially enlightening to realize that primarily Hispanic illegal immigrants are causing such havoc to New Mexico's citizens. Furthermore, in his election bid, he embraced La Raza, a Mexican special interest group. However, as noted in the WSJ Opinion Journal Opinion Journal article , "Mr. Richardson sang a different tune in late 2003, when he showed up at a rally for the "Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride" and told them, "¡Viva la raza! . . . Thank you for coming to Santa Fe. Know that New Mexico is your home. We will protect you. You have rights here." Jaime Becerril, one of the organizers of the freedom ride, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that the participants favored a new amnesty program. He called immigration "a byproduct of colonialism and capitalism."" Bill Richardson wears his Presidential 2008 ambitions on his sleeve so his shift in policy may also signal a faux shift, like Hillary Clinton, to gain centrist votes. In addition, Governor Napolitano of Arizona has declared a border emergency status to trigger the release of $200,000 from the state's emergency fund which is usually held for disaster relief. In this case, she's right. Her emergency council released another $1.3 million. The citizens of Arizona voted overwhelmingly for Proposition 200 , co-authorized by Russell Pearce . An excellent article in WSJ Opinion Journal which details the shifting sands of illegal imigration on the left-wing, particularly with Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson who are angling for the 2008 Presidential Democratic Nomination.
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