Arizona's controversial immigration enforcement law, which passed in April, has brought the issue of illegal immigration to the national forefront, and has become a key platform for Wisconsin Republican Gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker.
Walker shocked both his conservative base and his critics when he told the Associated Press in May he had concerns over the law. However, he reversed his stance almost immediately. ""If I were Governor of Arizona, I too would sign the Arizona immigration bill,"" he said in a statement on May 15.
According to Jill Bader, Walker's spokesperson, this change in stance on the issue occurred when he ""went directly to the source,"" and discussed the details of the law with the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa.
""He had initial reservations,"" Bader said, but added that after further evaluation of the law, Walker is no longer worried that it will result in racial profiling.
However, UW-Madison political science professor Dennis Dresang said this switch was a matter of political pressure.
""His initial remarks were met with general surprise from just about everybody on the political spectrum,"" Dresang said. ""People on the extreme right expressed dismay, and that's his base.""
Regardless of the reason for his change on the issue, Bader said Walker, if elected Governor in November, will encourage and sign legislation similar to that in Arizona.
State Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, who said he believes ""anybody who comes here and looks for either public assistance or commits a crime should be sent out of the country,"" said there would be support for such a bill in the legislature.
""Obviously Scott Walker wants it, and it'll be hard to turn him down,"" Grothman said.
However, state Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, said many legislators ""see that Arizona law as deeply problematic,"" and an immigration bill of that magnitude would not receive enough support in the legislature to pass.
In addition, Vanessa Solis, legislative assistant to state Rep. Pedro Colon, D-Milwaukee, who serves as chairperson of Wisconsin's Migrant Labor Council, said there are many people, including Republicans, ""who really want to do the right thing. They really see the need for a good comprehensive immigration plan.""
This comprehensive reform, Solis said, cannot be achieved by the state and needs to happen at a national level.
However, Dresang said he would not rule out the possibility of immigration legislation like Arizona's in Wisconsin.
He said it could result from ""a general anti-immigrant, maybe even racist, sentiment within the state.""
Although Walker said he would approve of similar immigration policy, if he is elected in November, it would be a while before he would push immigration policy because of the more immediate issue of the recession.
""Scott has said his first priority is getting Wisconsin back to work,"" Bader said. ""Shortly thereafter he'll be bringing up many other issues."" Immigration, she said, being one of them.
