New Mexico poll: Majority support Ariz. immigration-check law

ALBUQUERQUE - New Mexico voters strongly disapprove of the state's policy of giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, and a majority of them give a thumbs-up to Arizona's new immigration law, according to a poll released Sunday by the Albuquerque Journal.

According to the poll, 53 % favor Arizona's law, 35 % disapprove, 7 % have mixed feelings and 5 % don't know or wouldn't say.

Hispanic voters agreed with the majority on the state's driver's license policy and supported the city of Albuquerque's new policy of checking immigrant status of anyone who is arrested. However, only 39 % of the Hispanics polled said they supported the Arizona law and 48 % opposed it.

Gabriel Sanchez, an assistant professor of political science at the University of New Mexico, said New Mexicans do not favor the Arizona law as much as the rest of the country does, but the state's voters are becoming more disenchanted with illegal immigrants.

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Arizona shelves idea of changing immigration law

PHOENIX — Arizona legislators are setting aside Gov. Jan Brewer's suggestion that lawmakers consider changing parts of the state's controversial immigration law.

Jan Brewer on July 30 floated the idea of making "tweaks" to the law shortly after a federal judge blocked implementation of numerous provisions. Legislative aides said Tuesday the idea has been shelved, at least temporarily, mainly because of the state's pending appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

"Everyone agreed ... that it would have been acting in haste to act at this point," said Victor Riches, chief of staff for the House's Republican majority.

There is still a possibility that lawmakers could take up the issue in the future but nothing is in the works now, Riches added.

Jan Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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