Governor Napolitano’s authorization of $1.5 million in emergency funding to deal with immigration-related crime is not a “one-time fix,” she told reporters, saying her next state budget will call for spending specifically aimed at border problems.

She said she might request money for additional Department of Public Safety officers and assistance for local prosecutors.

“I’m not ruling anything out,” Ms. Napolitano said. “We are looking at a lot of those types of options.

“The declaration of emergency is a way for us to free up some funding to assist the local law enforcement at the border to prosecute immigration-related crime — not immigration crime per se — but immigration-related crime,” such auto theft, identity theft and human trafficking,” Ms. Napolitano said.

On July 6, the governor said she was near a formal agreement with the federal government to create a first-of-its-kind partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that would involve a team of 12 officers from DPS and 12 U.S. Border Patrol agents to “combat violent human trafficking” and assist local law enforcement. They would be known as a “State Illegal Immigration Enforcement Squad.”

“From our state’s relationship with the federal government, the number one issue is immigration. Whatever I can do to shine a spotlight on the issue — people are basically dying because of the failure of our federal immigration policy and the lack of resources to put into it — I’m going to do it,” Ms. Napolitano said at her weekly press briefing Aug. 17.

Republican critics say the Democrat governor’s spotlight on illegal immigration is politically motivated and late in coming. They say she is trying to make up for vetoes of several immigration bills.

In response to a reporter’s question on whether the Democratic National Committee is urging Democrat governors to seize immigration as their issue, Ms. Napolitano responded, “I don’t think immigration should be a partisan issue. It’s a border issue for us.”

Three days after a fellow Democrat governor, Bill Richardson of New Mexico, issued an emergency declaration for four border counties in his state, Ms. Napolitano on Aug. 15 declared an immigration-related emergency in Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz and Yuma counties.

“Can you address,” a reporter asked, “why your action followed by three days Governor Richardson…”

“‘Cause he went first,” Ms. Napolitano cut in.

“Let’s start with the $1.5 million and make sure it goes where it needs to go, and if we need to go back for more we can,” she said, noting there is still money in the state’s disaster fund. “I can’t say often enough that Arizona taxpayers are being made to pay for what should be a federal government responsibility.”

And Ms. Napolitano pooh-poohed a call by Rep. Russell Pearce, R-18, for construction of a barrier on state and private land along the border. He said he is drafting a ballot proposition asking voters next year to approve financing of construction of a barrier.

“I do not intend to raise Arizona taxes to build a fence,” Ms. Napolitano said.

Mr. Pearce told The Associated Press he’s still working out cost, financing and construction details, but he says a state tax credit of up to $500 for donations for building a barrier is a possibility.

The federal government has erected steel walls and mesh fences in and around Arizona border communities, and many miles along remote border areas are fenced with barbed wire.

Ms. Napolitano said she is going to add the $1.5 million in emergency funds “to our bill” to the federal government totaling more than $200 million for the costs of incarcerating illegal immigrants held for crimes in Arizona.

“No governor in Arizona has had to deal with immigration in this fashion,” she said. —