Raul Grijalva
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Biography
Grijalva's father was a migrant worker from Mexico who entered the United States through the Bracero Program and labored on southern Arizona ranches. [link] Raúl was born in Tucson, Arizona, was educated at Sunnyside High School and the University of Arizona where he was a member of MEChA. [link] Later he was Director of El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, Assistant Dean for Hispanic Student Affairs at the University of Arizona, member of the Tucson Unified School District board, and a Pima County Supervisor. He is married to Ramona F. Grijalva and together they have three daughters: Adelita, Raquel and Marisa.Politics and Positions
In 2006 National Journal ranked him as the 21st most liberal member of Congress. According to an article in the alternative weekly newspaper Tucson Weekly, Grijalva was a member of the short-lived Raza Unida Party, and registered as a Democrat in Pima County, Arizona in 1977, despite his claim to be a lifelong Democrat. [link]Immigration
Grijalva believes current immigration laws are "cruel," and border policy is "unjust." [link] He supports legalization for some immigrants and a program to allow immigrants to work legally in the United States "without displacing or having an adverse impact on American workers." He voted against the enforcement-only H.R. 4437 and opposed Arizona Proposition 200 (2004), and he does not support a National Guard presence on the border. The Arizona Daily Star reported that in his "State of the District" address on June 2, 2006 Grijalva announced a forthcoming plan to "stabilize the border" that would serve to help Congress "internalize the issue."[link]Grijalva's position on immigration has generated criticism from groups supporting immigration reduction. The American Patrol Report web site dedicates a regularly-updated page to oppose him [link].
On November 26, 2002, Grijalva was interviewed on the Alex Jones radio show, where he said private border patrol groups like the Minuteman Project in southern Arizona were "racist." For audio - [link]. In December 2002 he said that his first official act in office would be to ask the FBI to investigate them for alleged ties to white supremacy groups, saying "If you shine the light on the cockroaches, they don't like it." [link]. In April 1990 while still a Pima County Supervisor, Raul Grijalva declined an environmental award named after Edward Abbey, saying that he was "uneasy because of Abbey's views on immigration, Mexicans, and population growth." (Cahalan, James M. Edward Abbey: A Life p. 213; Arizona Daily Star, April 21, 1990, p. 5B)
Grijalva supports the Cyberport Port of Entry project in Nogales, Arizona and the San Luis II Port of Entry project in San Luis, Arizona, which would improve security by "making border traffic processing more efficient." [link]
Animals
In 2005 the Humane Society gave Grijalva a score of 100% for his "advocacy on animal welfare issues considered by Congress in 2005." He opposed horse slaughter, animal fighting and puppy mills. [link]Industrial Hemp
Grijalva cosponsored the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2005.Darfur
Grijalva is an endorser of the Genocide Intervention Network.Native Americans
Grijalva is a strong supporter of "sovereignty" and "government-to-government relationship[s]."[link] He supports the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and the protection of sites sacred to Native Americans.Censure of the President
Grijalva supported H.Res. 635 to censure the President. For video - [link]Committees and assignments
Rep. Grijalva sits on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Committee on Resources and the Committee on Small Business. He is the chair of the House Democratic Environmental Task Force. He is the second vice-chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for the 109th Congress.Trivia
- Arizona Congressional District 7 is larger than Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii, Connecticut and New Jersey combined. [link]
- The district includes 300 miles of the United States' border with Mexico.
- The district is home to seven sovereign Native American nations: the Ak-Chin Indian Community, Cocopah, Colorado River Indian Tribes, Gila River Indian Community, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Quechan, and Tohono O'odham.
- The district's population is 50.58% Hispanic/Latino.
- He is a 2004 inductee to the Sunnyside High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
External links
- [Official House website]
- [Raúl Grijalva's Official Campaign website]
- [Voting history]
- [Raul Grijalva Watch] critical website
- [Interview on Alex Jones radio show]
- [Videos of Grijalva discussing various issues]
| Arizona Congressional Delegation currently serving in the United States Congress | |
|---|---|
| Senators : | John McCain (R), Jon Kyl (R) |
| Representative(s) : | Rick Renzi (R), Trent Franks (R), John B. Shadegg (R), Ed Pastor (D), J. D. Hayworth (R), Jeff Flake (R), Raúl M. Grijalva (D), Jim Kolbe (R) |
|
Current Delegation: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY | AS DC GU PR VI | |
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