Havasu officials says SB1070 ruling ‘guts’ immigration law

Phone calls and letters to Lake Havasu City representatives regarding Arizona’s new immigration law have been almost non-existent, but the consensus among several city officials seemed to lean toward disappointment to a partial block of the law Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton blocked several controversial provisions of the law in Phoenix. Bolton ruled that several sections would “not take effect, including sections that required officers to check a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws” and “delayed parts of the law that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times,” according to a report from the Associated Press. But many city officials said Bolton didn’t just block several pieces of a new immigration law — she “gutted it.”

“I would say it was gutted,” Mayor Mark Nexsen said Wednesday afternoon after reading about Bolton’s decisions. “From the bits and pieces I’ve seen, it appears that essentially it has made the law ineffective, which is very unfortunate.”

Nexsen said he was originally in favor of Gov. Jan Brewer’s move to sign SB1070 into law earlier this year.

“I think that the law mirrored the federal law and I think that in light of the state requesting help for many years and getting no answers, we had to do something on a statewide basis to control the border,” he said. “My guess is (Brewer’s attorney) is going to appeal the ruling but I think unfortunately it’s going to have to go through the legal process … and that takes forever.”

State Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said he was also disappointed with the moves made Wednesday.

“She essentially gutted the law … and I’m sad the federal government saw fit to sue Arizona for implementing a federal law,” Gould said. “The upside to this is that President (Barack) Obama’s actions will guarantee that Republicans will take control of Congress. … We’ll take control of the House and Senate because of these actions.”

Gould said he expected some form of the law to be blocked in court.

“The chances would be pretty slim that the law would get through unscathed,” he said. “But the court may recognize it’s an issue and we’ll run a bill again next session that addresses that issue worded the way they’d like it worded and have something stronger go through.”

But the state was “forced” to act when Brewer signed the bill into law, Gould said, because the issue went beyond party politics.

“We had a Republican administration for eight years that wouldn’t do anything and now we have a Democratic administration that won’t do anything so the state stepped up,” he said. “I think this is going to have more of an effect on our federal government than they realize.”

While dozens of organizations throughout the country have threatened to boycott Arizona in the last several months because of the law, tourism officials in the city think Lake Havasu City won’t see a downturn as a result.

“We have a feeling that there is going to be some push back, but I think if people read the law I think they’ll eventually realize it’s a non-issue,” said Lake Havasu Hospitality Association Executive Director Greg Tryon, adding that he was in favor of the law in its whole form. “I think the push would go away eventually but we’d notice a little bit of a difference. … I don’t think it would be long-term at all.”

Convention and Visitors Bureau President/CEO Doug Traub agreed.

“I think the impact to Lake Havasu City will be minimal,” he said. “Much of the groups that come here are non-traditional convention groups like youth sporting events or Winter Blast or (personal watercraft) events. They’re more interested in our outdoor amenities than the politics of what’s being passed in Phoenix. I think it’s going to have a different effect in Phoenix where these decisions are made, but not here.”

Traub said the ruling Wednesday should not have an impact on the city.

“In the three months I’ve been here, we’ve received no more than five letters and the rationale as to why they would not visit was not convincing. Whereas I know we’ve had the opposite,” he said, referring to a group that recently visited Havasu known as the “Buycott.”

“I think if anything, if you added up the bodies that have supposedly not come here because of the law and ones who have because of the law, I think we’re on the upside overall,” he said. “Some places in Arizona might be concerned but I don’t think it’s going to have any effect here.”

Mayor Nexsen said he’s also heard “nothing to indicate a change” in tourism in the city.

“I have talked to a number of Californians and it’s interesting that the ones I’ve talked to have supported (the law),” he said. “There are no absolutes … and I know the mayor of Los Angeles wanted to boycott us, but I don’t have any control over that. I’d say overall, it doesn’t seem to be having any impact on Lake Havasu City.”

You can contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com