Austin council to vote on AZ travel ban

AUSTIN (KXAN) - This week, Austin's City Council will vote on whether to ban travel to the state of Arizona in response to its tough, new law fighting illegal immigration.

Last month, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a new law that said police can question people they suspect may be in the country illegally and makes it a crime for Arizona immigrants to lack registration documents.

The council will ask Austin City Manager Marc Ott to stop all business-related travel by City employees to the state until the legislation is overturned.

Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Martinez, Council member Bill Spelman and Mayor Lee Leffingwell are proposing the travel ban, saying they don't want to put City employees at risk of being detained.

"This is the state of Arizona that's decided to do this," said Spelman. And I think it's perfectly reasonable for us to say, 'State of Arizona we don't trust you to implement this stuff properly.'"

Last year, Leffingwell and other city leaders traveled to Phoenix on a fact-finding mission about how the city operates. Yet, no such travel would take place if the ban goes into effect.

Critics say the travel ban treats Arizona residents unfairly.

"I do think it's an overreaction," said Patrick McGuinness, Republican candidate for the Texas House of Representatives in the 50th District, which represents Austin. "I don't think it's a wise thing to do."

Some Texas lawmakers are looking to propose similar legislation in Texas next year, and protests have taken place from Austin to Dallas and beyond.

Other cities, such as San Fransisco, Los Angeles and Boulder, Colo., have all have passed resolutions banning official travel to and business with Arizona.