Citizens in Charge

Accusing the federal government of hampering local attempts to combat illegal immigration,state Sen. Russell Pearce, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and some of Arizona’s most hawkish public figures on border security pledged on Wednesday to redouble their efforts with new legislation and a citizens initiative. Critics, meanwhile, said the anti-migrant push figures to only complicate matters for area businesses already hammered by the recession.