I wonder what people thoughts are about this controversial bill? Details: www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2010/04/arizona-leads-the-way-backward-on-immigration.html www.independent.co.uk/news/world/am...rned-arizona-into-a-pariah-state-1957311.html Most responses that I've read seem to accuse critics of the bill as somehow failing to understand the distinction between legal and illegal immigrants. This response seems to miss the point that whilst it is designed to target illegal immigrants, literally anyone, illegal or not, would be affected by this, even US citizens who 'look like' immigrants. How do you identity an illegal immigrant? The police are supposed to be allowed to stop any based on "reasonable suspicion" that they are an illegal immigrant. What constitutes reasonable suspicion? The bill does not say, in fact, Arizona has asked the federal government for help in figuring out what constitutes reasonable suspicion. Regardless of the ethics of the bill, to pass it without clearly defining the criteria by which the police are supposed to act seems to demonstrate now little thought has been put into it. It's also now a crime to not carry papers proving your status, which effectively means if an actual US citizen cannot prove that they are not illegal, they could be arrested. Unfortunately many are calling for a boycott of Arizona, which will more than likely negatively affect working families than right-wing politicians. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilKUxWbGQj4"]YouTube- Rachel Maddow- Racist roots of Arizona law[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKOnefW_qFg"]YouTube- Phoenix Mayor sues Arizona. Oops!!! Shakira will weigh in - Rachel Maddow[/ame]
I agree with someone finally taking action against the immigration problem but new rules regarding proving it sounds like a pain in the ass.
I grew up in Arizona, so I suppose I should have an opinion. I question it's constitutionality on two grounds. The first is separation of powers. Scholarly concensus is that the US Const gives the federal government plenary power over international borders. This law would probably be thrown out right there. The second is overbreadth. If a law will catch an unreasonable number of innocent people, then it must be thrown out. The part about arresting people for not carrying their passport sure sounds overbroad, but until we read the actual statute we should withhold judgement. You are right that if an element of the crime is vague, then the law is unenforceable. "Reasonable suspicion of a crime," however, is not a vague term. That is the standard for all police work. A cop can stop any person if he has "reasonable suspicion" that the person is committing any crime. The term is defined as a "reasonable belief based on specific and articulable facts and inferences." So, before Sherriff Joe stops Jose for questioning, he'll have to accumulate a list of specific facts to explain why he believes Jose is illegally in Maricopa County.
I think the worry is that hispanics/latinos would be disproportionately targeted, due to the colour of their skin. If I, a white European, were to live in Arizona illegally, would I be stopped? Perhaps my illegal status would become apparent if I were stopped for some other reason (such as speeding or being drunk), but there wouldn't appear to be any basis for stopping me specifically under the pretence of being an illegal immigrant. Surely there are already laws for dealing with an illegal immigrant, if and when it is established that they are, in fact, an illegal immigrant. I don't think people would have an issue with that, rather it's the likely racial implementation of this new policy, plus making it illegal to not carry documents.
The law is bad, it is just poor legislation from head to toe, but the worst part is the section which states that any citizen can file a lawsuit against any law enforcement official not enforcing this law...which basically means if you're a cop and you aint beating on enuff brown people, you're gonna find yourself getting sued, I mean, WTF?. And the people who think this law has nothing to do with race...liars or fools.
Do individual states have the authority (should they choose to excercise it) of stopping people from emigrating from other states within the USA?
There's only one answer...an "Escape from New York" style wall but with the guns pointing outwards instead. I can understand the fear of immigration...but in America? A country founded by immigrants? Does seem a case of "we're OK pull up the ladder!"
Indeed a bunch of white people deciding that they are now the native group in arizona must have a few native americans rolling their eyes.
I think its a great law. One of the states I'm considering moving to is Arizona and I love the idea of cutting back on illegals. The fact that a few legal immigrants may be slightly inconvenienced really isn't any big deal. They are called ILLEGAL aliens for a reason. We're the only country in the world who allows our borders to be crossed like they are. Get caught illegally in Mexico and see what happens to you.....
A few? I'm sorry, let me rephrase that A few? The majority of people who will be affected by this law will be legal and many of them will be US Citizens and some of them will be veterans, but I suppose since 99% of them will be brown, it's no big deal, right? Please move to Arizona, it means the rest of the world only needs to boycott one state to cover most of your ilk.
Have you even read the article? It basically says if you're an ethnic miniority and can't prove that you're an American on the spot, you'll be arrested and maybe even deported. If I was stopped right now I couldn't prove I was British and I've barely been out of the country in 30 years. You can't arrest people just because they can't prove they haven't done anything wrong. People may complain about Britian but I'm glad I live here.
This law is unenforcable and unconstitutional. Regardless of how you feel about illegal immigrants or protection of our borders, what this law represents is misguided legislation. And injunction will be placed on it before it ever sees the light of day and then the taxpayers in the State of Arizona, broke to begin with, will be forced to fund the hopeless defense of this law. Add to this the loopholes (such as, all you need to do is say, "I'm a US citizen" and the cops aren't legally allowed to press the matter further), the lawsuits where lawful residents and US Citizens sue the State for violating their rights, the draconian nature of the law, and the retarded idea that the citizens can sue the cops for failing to enforce the law, and you've got a giant SNAFU representing a huge black eye on that State.
Everything about this law smells ridiculous and racist. To add further, Arizona is now looking to ban 'ethnic studies': http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100430/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1885. What is really going on out there. I guess I'll never talk about my adopted state of Texas again. paz, dormindo
I'm heading to Arizona in the summer so it's going to be interesting to see the reaction to this bill first-hand. I'm white and sport a skinhead so I guess I'm okay, but I'll have my British passport with me at all times just to be safe. Should be fine as long as I leave my sombrero and AK-47 at home.
*sigh* tool.... Please explain the physhical signs that seperates illegal immigrants from the rest of the human race. This crap is based on colour and for the country that promotes itself as the home of democracy and free for all Arizona is comeing across as a bunch of rascist phalluses right now.
Wasn't Arizona spanish before it was American...so there are hispanics in AZ whose families predate statehood. And they're the immigrants?
China constructed "The Great Wall" to keep out people like the mongols only to have one become a emperor not too soon after. America maybe a country founded by immigrants, but they weren't ILLEGAL immigrants. They had to follow the laws of the land of each era back then. That's the BIG difference.
