S2 EP05: Nothing lasts forever

Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070 took years of effort that culminated in a moment when the Legislature, the governor and the public — pushed by a terrible slaying agreed — to do something about illegal immigration, even if the White House and Congress couldn’t. Closer to the time of its passage, SB 1070 was popular and was a good way to win elections in Arizona. Russell Pearce, Jan Brewer and John McCain were all re-elected taking hardliner positions in 2010. For better or worse, the law reshaped Arizona politics and set an example to others about the political potency of nativism and border security. But the Latino and migrant communities, those most directly impacted by those policies, have pushed back. It’s a law that has galvanized a new generation of activists. Combined with Arizona’s rapid growth among transplants and Latinos, it helped make the state a political battleground in the 2020 election year. It’s a dramatic shift for a state that was reliably red in presidential elections for most of the past 64 years. Today, running against SB 1070 and the politics of oppression is a good way to win elections in Arizona, even if the White House wants to change all that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices