Some Ohio public officials would like to pass an immigration law similar to the one recently enacted in Arizona.

Butler County Sheriff Rick Jones and Ohio Rep. Courtney Combs, a Republican from Ross Township, sent a letter to Gov. Ted Strickland asking him “to employ your leadership role as Governor to assure legislation is passed that will mirror that of the Arizona illegal immigration legislation.”

The legislation the letter referred to is Arizona Senate Bill 1070. The act, signed April 23, requires that legal immigrants carry documents proving their status. Police are authorized to question anyone they “reasonably suspect” of being undocumented.

Implementing similar legislation in Ohio might have unforeseen effects on Ohio State. The Arizona act has already affected enrollment at the University of Arizona.

“We have already begun to feel an impact from SB1070,” said University of Arizona President Robert Shelton in a letter to the school. “The families of a number of out-of-state students have told us that they are changing their plans and will be sending their children to universities in other states.”

A discussion about the potential effects of the legislation will be held in OSU’s Multicultural Center on Thursday.

Panelists will share information about Arizona’s controversial law and what it means for Ohio as lawmakers consider similar legislation, said Wendy Smooth, an assistant professor in the Department of Women’s Studies and an event organizer.

Jones said he thinks an immigration law like Arizona’s would reduce crime.

“We need to get something done in Ohio to where we control the illegal immigration into Ohio and the crime that’s coming from these other countries where they are sneaking into Ohio,” Jones said in an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Strickland is not convinced that a bill like Arizona’s is needed, he said. The governor has stated that he will not advocate the passage of any such bill.

Jones will instead seek to make the issue a ballot measure.

Fifty-nine percent of Ohio’s likely voters favor an immigration law like the one adopted in Arizona, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey taken May 5 with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percent.

Although polls indicate the Arizona act has popular support in Ohio, it has also drawn vocal criticism.

Opposition has come from sources as varied as President Barack Obama, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, singer Ricky Martin and the Phoenix Suns basketball team. Criticism is often about the perceived infringement of civil liberties.

“Contrary to the claims of some proponents, the bill does not prohibit officers from relying on race or ethnicity in deciding who to investigate,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona. “Because most police officers have not been trained to enforce immigration law, many U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents will be wrongfully detained.”

Supporters, such as Arizona Sen. John McCain, contend that it’s an issue of national security, not civil liberties.

“Many viewed this as a civil rights issue. There is no intention whatsoever to violate anyone’s civil rights, but this is a national security issue,” McCain said during congressional testimony.

The OSU discussion forum about the legislation will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Suite 1000 of the Multicultural Center.