As far as I'm concerned, Arizona is only doing what the federal government is SUPPOSED to do. I'm all for legal immigration but there is a process you need to go through.
Hell no. It's completely discriminatory, and the idea of Hispanics being legally required to carry immigration papers at all times is taken straight from the playbook of the Soviet Union. Absolute fail, right there.
Legal resident citizens are required to carry proof of their citizenship at all times. If you don't have that when pulled over -- which it's very specifically written into the law you can't based on someone's ethnicity -- then there is reasonable suspicion. I'm sure any sensiable law enforcement officer will waive any elgal woes if you didn't have proof, but could provide it or prove it. Otherwise, you are here illegally. And don't feed me lines about racist cops trying to hunt down Mexicans. Might want to check out the demographic on the nationallity or Arizonan police officers. Arizona is on the border with Mexico: who would you think would be there illegally, in spite of the numbers on who crosses in there illegally, white Hawaiians? I know! Irish! It's like saying the police alone the Canadian/U.S. border would be racist for getting French people (the second largest ethnic group by population number in Canada). Arizona is doing what the Federal government has FAILED to do for over 50 years. All this political BS over not giving them a chance, is just that -- BS; were we supposed to wait another 50 years? Other southern border states need to do the same thing. And Northern border states should tighten as well. And we need to end the Cuban illegals in Florida. Don't like Castro? Well, neither do we -- fucking overthrow him, but stop coming here and letting him expand his corruption unfought.
Personally, I have no problem with deporting illegal immigrants, and I feel all immigration should follow the law, and be done so according to legal procedure. However, my problem with the Arizona law, is I don't see how this could be enforced in a way that would be non-discriminatory. I realize that Arizona shares a border with Mexico, so Mexican people will make up the vast majority of illegal immigrants there, but I doubt illegals from other countries such as Canada (Don't laugh, they do exist, and they're just as illegal) will be given the same treatment, since they "look" just like Americans. I don't carry proof of citizenship with me, nor does anyone I know. However I doubt I'd be stopped in Arizona by law enforcement and expected to supply proof. I do also agree that this should really be handled by the Federal government, since it is the National border that is being breached. I predict this law will be overturned in the Supreme Court, and that the lawmakers know it. I think it was passed simply to make their "point."
Like a majority Arizona residents, I support their new immigration law. It is a shame, though, that the federal government is not already enforcing the laws on the books.
It's not that I'm against enforcing laws against illegal immigration, its that this is being used as an excuse for racial profiling.
Forgive me, the article I read was wrong. Still, I don't support it. Illegal immigration is a problem, sure, but I do think these measures are overly draconian.
^you are forgiven. all I ask is that you explain how this is overly draconian? the bill only requires law enforcement "to reasonably attempt to determine the immigration status of a person involved in a lawful contact where reasonable suspicion exists regarding the immigration status of the person" how? explain please. perhaps you should read the farkin' bill before you post a response. link & pdf
I agree. And considering that my brother, my cousin and i got stopped by border patrol as soon as we entered AZ lends credence that they're certainly targeting Hispanics.
"...the Arizona law is most likely to come into play after a traffic stop. A police officer pulls a minivan over for speeding. A dozen passengers are crammed in. None has identification. The highway is a known alien-smuggling corridor. The driver is acting evasively. Those factors combine to create reasonable suspicion that the occupants are not in the country legally." read the full article and "Fundamentally, when a Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) agent sees a car with only one passenger but looks like it’s shocks are bottomed out from being overloaded, and it’s one mile from the border driving North at high speed, that’s ‘reasonable suspicion’ there may be an immigration violation. The CBP agent can stop the car and begin to gather facts, like asking the driver for his license and looking into the car. If the agent looks into the car and sees blood all over the interior, that’s ‘probable cause’ a crime has been committed – and he calls local law enforcement in to handle the case. However, if the CBP agent sees a guy standing on the street corner, he has no reasonable suspicion – and cannot perform a legal stop. If the CBP agent sees a car make an illegal left turn, he has no reasonable suspicion and cannot perform a legal stop. Can’t ask them for the papers, no questioning, no search, nothing. On the other hand, the Deputy Sheriff can – and should – pull over a car that made an illegal left turn." read the full article what a person "looks like" does not factor into the equation.
it may not be in the bill but anyone with any sense knows that a white person isnt going to have someone asking for "papers" just for walking down the street and someone thinking hey they must have done something \ "reasonable suspicion’ " can be credited in the mind pretty fast. look when i was a kid that the soviets did this to their people was yes held up as one reason they were an evil empire/ heck the thing isnt even in effect yet but we know how hispanic looking people are treated differently in arizona due to what happened to shameless. times change dont they..
and yet another poster suffering from selective illiteracy. from my previous post (the one just above yours): "...the Arizona law is most likely to come into play after a traffic stop." read the full article However, if the CBP agent sees a guy standing on the street corner, he has no reasonable suspicion – and cannot perform a legal stop. If the CBP agent sees a car make an illegal left turn, he has no reasonable suspicion and cannot perform a legal stop. Can’t ask them for the papers, no questioning, no search, nothing. read the full article
lol. Because the law doesn't actually mention it, it means they aren't targeting an ethnic group. You know what other laws didn't mention ethnic groups? poll taxes. I somehow doubt a bunch of white college kids crammed into a mini van are going to be asked to provide proof of their immigration station.
considering the law doesn't go into effect until 90 days after the Governor signed it lends credence to some peoples paranoia.