Arizona state Treasurer Dean Martin proposed the creation of tent cities to help deal with the expected increase of illegal immigrants in the state. Ariz. pol wants immigrant 'tent city'

Arizona state Treasurer Dean Martin, a Republican candidate for governor, called on Tuesday for the creation of statewide tent cities to house the expected increase in the number of illegal immigrants expected to be arrested under the state’s controversial new immigration law.

Martin offered the proposal during a news conference, suggesting the camp-like setups would be similar to the existing tent city jails in Maricopa County that frequently hold DUI offenders and inmates moved out of crowded county jails.


His proposal is in response to growing concerns in Arizona that the cash-strapped state cannot afford to enforce the new immigration law that goes into effect next month.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, one of the new law’s strongest defenders, has for years maintained tent city jails in Phoenix, which frequently receive favorable news coverage and have proven politically popular.

Martin is trailing Gov. Jan Brewer in the state’s Republican primary after her reelection prospects were boosted by signing the widely popular immigration bill.

Martin attacked Brewer during the news conference, contending that she’s not truly committed to securing the border. Martin said Brewer only began paying attention to the issue “when she started doing election-year polling.”