An NPR investigation documents how the contentious Arizona immigration bill was drafted and backed [2] by a group called the American Legislative Exchange Council. Among the key members of that group are prison operators Corrections Corp. of America and its main rival, The GEO Group.
In the conference room, the group decided they would turn the immigration idea into a model bill. They discussed and debated language. Then, they voted on it.
"There were no 'no' votes," Pearce said. "I never had one person speak up in objection to this model legislation."
Four months later, that model legislation became, almost word for word, Arizona's immigration law.
HT: Pith [3]