Bill to Criminalize Illegal Aliens Rejected

Last week the Arizona state House rejected a bill that would have granted local law enforcement the ability to treat an illegal alien like a criminal.

By proposing to expand current trespassing laws, the bill was seen as a crackdown of the immigration problem in the state. Others such as Jennifer Allen, director of the immigrant rights group Border Action Network, said the bill would lead to racial profiling.

"It's almost impossible for it to be applied without relying on racial profiling and without committing egregious errors," Allen told FoxNews.com.

Supports of the bill contend it would increase safety. After the bill was struck down by a 26-15 vote in the House, state senator Russell Pearce, the sponsor of the bill, told the Arizona Republic he is considering putting the initiative on the upcoming ballot by getting the appropriate signatures.

"Some people support law breakers over law keepers," Pearce said. "How many more officers are we going to have killed?"

Former Governor Janet Napolitano vetoed two similar proposals in 2006 and has said that people who sneak into the state from across the border shouldn't be made into criminals. Earlier this year Napolitano was picked by the president to head up the Department of Homeland Security.