How immigration crackdowns backfire

[SMOKE 1,426]

The cop is the arsehole for asking me a question that is quite impolite as a taxpayer. Locking me up (a rightful citizen) for refusing to answer a very unconstitutional question.

asking for id is not impolite. locking you up for obstructing an officer isn't unconstitutional.

[Niels Bohr 72]

What does an ID say about being a citizen or greencard holder.

Heck, if you're a citizen, you expect to carry your birth certificate at all times?

asking for id is not impolite. locking you up for obstructing an officer isn't unconstitutional.

[zqt3344 21]

It is about time this type of law goes into effect. And then to enforce it strongly. Sadly there are several laws in place but yet never fully enforced as should be. Good for Arizona, bunch of border hoppers out there wrecking that state and ruining our beloved country!

[SMOKE 1,426]

What does an ID say about being a citizen or greencard holder.

Heck, if you're a citizen, you expect to carry your birth certificate at all times?

in some states...most if not all soon. in order to get a valid state id, you would have already had to provided evidence of citizenship or legal status. so, you show your id & you're on your way.

eta: zup Z?

Edited April 23, 2010 by SMOKE

[zqt3344 21]

Right on SMOKE, residents of Missouri have to show proof now for past several years!

in some states...most if not all soon. in order to get a valid state id, you would have already had to provided evidence of citizenship or legal status. so, you show your id & you're on your way.

eta: zup Z?

[Ban Hammer 13,656]

alrighty then. i still don't know ####### it means. play what?

hide the pickle maybe?

[scandal 951]

2) That's not to say Arizonans don't have a right to be upset when Mexicans trespass across private land on a regular basis. But you could solve that problem by making it easier for them to immigrate legally.

2) Awesome. We could solve burglary problem by making it legal to enter and empty any house anyone feels they want to enter and empty. Grand theft auto? No more. Just make it madatory to leave the car unlocked and the keys in the ignition so anyone may use any car they see.

Those are not the best examples to offer. There are laws on the books which obviously need to be on the books and no one would ever dream taking off the books - your examples of burglary, grand theft auto among them.

Then, there are laws about which people have earnest debates:

Should we have drug laws? Should pot be decriminalized? -- The "left" would say drug laws fail, the "right" would say we need to keep the laws tougher enforcement.

Should we criminalize abortion? -- The "right" would say it's murder, the "left" would say it's a woman's right to choose.

So we see that there are laws in our society over which we have legitimate debate regarding their validity.

At one time, the US had no official immigration law. The very concept of legal vs. illegal entry to the US did not exist.

Today the immigration law is quite clear, and it's also quite clear we have a serious problem with far too many people violating our law.

I'm all in favor of enforcing laws on the books: NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. PERIOD.

I'm also in favor of an enlightened look at whether the laws we have on our books make sense. Just like I think criminalizing the possession of an ounce of pot is ridiculous, I think our immigration laws could be changed in ways that "remove" the problem of illegal immigration by allowing higher numbers of "the right kind of" legal immigrants to enter. We can have a debate about how such a restructuring might look, but to simply dismiss it as an absurd legalization of patently illegal activity (as legalizing burglary might be) is facetious.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Those are not the best examples to offer. There are laws on the books which obviously need to be on the books and no one would ever dream taking off the books - your examples of burglary, grand theft auto among them.

Then, there are laws about which people have earnest debates:

Should we have drug laws? Should pot be decriminalized? -- The "left" would say drug laws fail, the "right" would say we need to keep the laws tougher enforcement.

Should we criminalize abortion? -- The "right" would say it's murder, the "left" would say it's a woman's right to choose.

So we see that there are laws in our society over which we have legitimate debate regarding their validity.

At one time, the US had no official immigration law. The very concept of legal vs. illegal entry to the US did not exist.

Today the immigration law is quite clear, and it's also quite clear we have a serious problem with far too many people violating our law.

I'm all in favor of enforcing laws on the books: NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. PERIOD.

I'm also in favor of an enlightened look at whether the laws we have on our books make sense. Just like I think criminalizing the possession of an ounce of pot is ridiculous, I think our immigration laws could be changed in ways that "remove" the problem of illegal immigration by allowing higher numbers of "the right kind of" legal immigrants to enter. We can have a debate about how such a restructuring might look, but to simply dismiss it as an absurd legalization of patently illegal activity (as legalizing burglary might be) is facetious.

Excellent post. I've long advocated that we have make it relatively easy for employees to sponsor (H1 Visas) low skilled laborers if they follow certain steps that demonstrate their real need for bringing in outside labor.