Will others follow Arizona's lead on immigration?

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/21/arizona.immigration.bill/index.html

Now that Arizona lawmakers have passed what's considered some of the toughest immigration legislation in the country, other states are watching to see whether they should follow in the state's footsteps or stand back.

Arizona's bill orders immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there's reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally. It also targets those who hire illegal immigrant day laborers or knowingly transport them.

[TBoneTX 45,287]

Thought- & emotion-provoking stuff, isn't it, si man? It's already the law that folks have to carry their green cards if they have them. It's another matter entirely to REQUIRE police to question people. First, immigration law (as we know) is extremely complex, so much so that it often takes lawyers & judges to figure things out. Therefore, how could a regular policeman hope to make essentially a snap judgment regarding a person's status? There are reasons that local & state law agencies need to qualify under ICE's 287g program. Second -- generally speaking, depending on Arizona's prevailing "stop & identify" or "failure to identify" laws, which arose in states everywhere as an outgrowth of the awful Supreme Court ruling in the Hiibel case -- all that ANYONE would need to do would be to say "I don't have to answer that question, Officer" or "I will answer questions only in the presence of an attorney."

What do others think, si man?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I think its a broken law that won't actually amount anything because its not enforceable. All its going to do is cause problems for local police departments, and in the end cost them revenue.

No one wants to tackle the real problem - Employer's hiring illegals. I can only assume that these employers basically have politicians in their pockets and don't want their slave labor taken away.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Sousuke

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/23/obama.immigration/index.html?hpt=T1

Washington (CNN) -- President Obama on Friday criticized a controversial new immigration bill in Arizona, calling it "misguided."

"Our failure to act responsible at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others. That includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe," the president said at a naturalization ceremony for 24 members of the military.

"In fact, I've instructed members of my administration to closely monitor the situation and examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation. But if we continue to fail to act at the federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country."

[Darnell 8,478]

Ooooooooooooooh - I hope other states decide to do it, also. Yay !

[JeanneVictoria 55]

Ooooooooooooooh - I hope other states decide to do it, also. Yay !

I live in Arizona and hope other states decide to follow!

[sachinky 465]

I apologize if this sounds horribly naive--but what's the big controversy? I thought all legal aliens were supposed to carry their GC on their person at all times, any way. Keeping a color photocopy of your GC or whatever valid visa you're currently on in your wallet along with your D/L just seems like a good idea to me.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I remember when the US was upset with Arizona because they decided to house the prisoner overflow in tents on the prison yard and feed them peanut butter and jelly for lunch everyday. I wish California had the juts to behave that way instead of just letting everyone out early to re offend. The illegals here are driving the state straight to bankruptcy. If they started seriously rounding them up, they could run a regular bus service to the border to dump them off and up the passenger numbers out of LAX by a significant amount.

[LaL 418]

I apologize if this sounds horribly naive--but what's the big controversy? I thought all legal aliens were supposed to carry their GC on their person at all times, any way. Keeping a color photocopy of your GC or whatever valid visa you're currently on in your wallet along with your D/L just seems like a good idea to me.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/253373-arizona-immigration-law-is-this-true/

[cptrosco 0]

Hey I moved to Arizona from the UK, my wife and in-laws are Arizonians, I have seen a lot of this law on the new/tv/papers.

What the MAJORITY of people don't seem to realize is that the law is only for the ILLEGAL people, they are not saying they wont allow Mexicans to emigrate, just do it legally....like we all did. The 'fence hoppers' get MORE benefits than me and i went though the legal process.

Please understand that this law is good for America and its economy.

[Donna A 4]

i watched it tonight and they compared the arizona law to federal law and they were exactally the same thing. arizona just wants to inforce it where the feds dont want to. most of them never even read the law so they are totally clueless that it is the same as federal law.

[leonsgal70 3]

Other states to follow AZ

[nats6624 0]

I think it is legal in most places is it not? When i got my approval letter at the interview it said right on it that you must carry your GC at all times. I also spoke to lawyer before i filed and she told me that the police are authorized to ask me my status if they want, and that was over a year ago that i spoke to her. Maybe it is just Utah but i am sure it is more than just here. If you are legal here there should be no problems with this law! I agree with they get more benefits than the legals do. My sister in-law was just fired over chaos that an illegal family caused her at the hospital (she is a nurse).

Edited May 23, 2010 by nats6624

[K and L 27]

Honestly, I think the police should be required to inquire about immigration status when arresting people -- I don't think it's any different than name, DOB, SSN. It's just one more piece of information that will identify you ("Joe Smith, born 04/04/1984, SSN 000-00-0000, LPR from Canada with Green Card # 000-000-000 since 08/08/2008") and differentiate you from others that may share your name and even DOB ("Joe Smith, born 04/04/1984, SSN 000-00-0010, USC"). If they're not a citizen, and they commit and are convicted of a serious crime, by all means: revoke their residency and deport them after their time is served. If it turns out they're undocumented, deport them even if they are not convicted.

I think AZ goes too far in saying it can be for any police interaction, but the overall idea of forcing the police to collect this data is not a bad idea.

Edited May 23, 2010 by K and L

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Hey I moved to Arizona from the UK, my wife and in-laws are Arizonians, I have seen a lot of this law on the new/tv/papers.

What the MAJORITY of people don't seem to realize is that the law is only for the ILLEGAL people, they are not saying they wont allow Mexicans to emigrate, just do it legally....like we all did. The 'fence hoppers' get MORE benefits than me and i went though the legal process.

Please understand that this law is good for America and its economy.

You probably sound funny.

Expect to get asked for 'your papers'.