I was reading up on the new bill in arizona about giving authority to the Police to enforce immigration laws...What are you guys opinion to this. Is this a prelude for tighter immigration rules or do you guys think things will be more reasonable and streamlined??

Looks like this is a very polirazing issue with no grey areas compared to healthcare reform. It looks like this issue snow balled after the misdeed of the Sheriff Arpio who was violating the 5th ammendment rights of the citizens of Arizona and were racially profiling people. The proposed law is asking all the citizens to carry an ID and be subjected to questioning withoutout reasonable doubt and purely based on the way you look.

 

I think this bill would cause lot of racial profiling and will complicate relations between hispanic communities and the police. I feel like there would be lot of discrimination lawsuits against the state in future.

This a perfect opportunity for the Democrats to dramatically lower the losses in the mid term elections of 2010 by bringing Immigration Reform Bill in Congress to solidify Hispanic vote and give FU to those TeaBaggers.

Phoenix, Arizona (CNN) -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill Friday that requires police in her state to determine whether a person is in the United States legally, which critics say will foster racial profiling but supporters say will crack down on illegal immigration.

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

The Republican governor also issued an executive order that requires additional training for local officers on how to implement the law without engaging in racial profiling or discrimination.

"This training will include what does and does not constitute reasonable suspicion that a person is not legally present in the United States," Brewer said after signing the bill.

"Racial profiling is illegal. It is illegal in America, and it's certainly illegal in Arizona," Brewer said.

The rules, to be established in by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board, are due back to her in May. The law goes into effect 90 days after the close of the legislative session, which has not been determined.

What will Arizona's immigration law do?

Previously, officers could check someone's immigration status only if that person was suspected in another crime.

Brewer's executive order was in response to critics who argue that the new law will lead to racial profiling, saying that most police officers don't have enough training to look past race while investigating a person's legal status.

"As committed as I am to protecting our state from crime associated with illegal immigration, I am equally committed to holding law enforcement accountable should this stature ever be misused to violate an individual's rights," Brewer said.

She added that the law would probably be challenged in courts and that there are those outside Arizona who have an interest in seeing the state fail with the new measure.

This bill will only solidify democrats stance on immigration reform bill. You only see caucasians in republican parties, with few exceptions such as steele, and one Indian origin governor being republicans, there might be few more. If immigration bill gets passed, that will boost voting power for democrats as most naturalized immigrants would vote for democrats with some exceptions..Why is US govt not like Australia or Canada, who grant PR based on point systems? There are so many F-1 students with higher education, if granted PR would be an asset to this country...I do firmly believe that border control be tightened..as there are enough illegal people in this country..

they forgot their forefathers were illegals too in this country once up a time. they came here without visas and killed the natives.

Is this Obama's immigration reform mission? I am confused!

This bill is intended to make racial discrimination legal. What are the chances that whites would be stopped for status check? While people of "wrong" colour would be subjected to harrassment legally unless you carry the paperwork with you all the time. Carrying green card would not be too bad from the convenience point of view. Imagine carrying I-20 along with your passport all the time. This is a freaking joke.

My question to a sociologist, what makes this issue sociological?

Lets think of a scenario.

 

 

An old man goes to a gas station and asks for a marlboro light. The storekeeper happily gives him a pack.

After five minutes a teenager goes to the same place and asks for a Panama, the storekeeper stares at him and asks for a driver license.

 

Is this an age discrimination? Maybe. Is it illegal? No, because the law prohibits him selling the pack to a minor and he is making sure the law is not broken.

 

Now, shuold the clerk be checking everybody’s id? No, only the person who is using the service, in this case buying the pack.

 

In case of cops checking immigrants id, we could find some similarity.

The offense, comparable to selling cigerrets to minors, is entering and residing in USA illegally.

The check here, comparable to the clerk checking the id, is cops checking the residency id while entering the boarder OR while residing (i.e. anytime) in USA.

If a  cops asks a mexican looking man, is it racial profiling? Well, was it age discrimination in the first example?

 

But the case is not as straight forward as it is. I will let sajhaites point out why it is right to check the ID of a minor but not right to check ID of a citizen. I will present my answers later.

Kiddo: This case is different than checking id of a person buying ciggies. You may event try comparing it to the cops checking driving license of a person driving a car. But where would the color of your skin make an indivindual more likely to be subjected to a checks? This is where the new bill is different.

i was very much conflicted in this issue until i spent a lot of time in reading the comments following the news article related with this issue. I still cannot make up my mind being myself an immigrant I empathise with the family driven by economic circumstances trying to better their familys future. On the other hand I also think that taking the high road of legal path is much more admirable.

But the issue at hand is about the constutionality of askign for ID just based on reasonable suspicion; can that be motivated by a persons racial perception? YES. Its very human to steryotype and categorize people and the cops in arizona will be no exception. But if they ask for the IDs of the wrongdoers; criminals alike they will be just doing their Job better.

I guess the test should be askign for ID after there is evidience of crime. not raiding peoples private dwelling looking for illegals.

 

You will not feel the difference if you're not living in Arizona. Those places have nothing but Mexicans and every year, the Drug Lords are entering in the US and massacring law enforcements as if they were Al Pacino from Scarface. Their government can't do a shit, they kill their police and even army like flies back in Mexico. But when the US is trying to avoid it happening here, then they all have issues.Now if the law were to pass in NY, then we can say they're going too far, that's where WE should raise our voice. Arizona, California, Texas and New Mexico deserves some stricter rules.
If all the Bihari Indian came to Nepal and kicked us out, what would be your reaction? It is easy to judge local Americans for taking proactive steps and safeguarding their future. I'm not againt illegal immigrants and many of our Nepali people are illegal too, but the sheer volume of Hispanics is becoming  too much. They will be the biggest race pretty soon. Nature calls for checks and balances.

newlynew.

You said it is different but didn't give a legit reason why it is. Sure, it is racial profiling to ask non-whites for id but isn't it age discrimination also for asking minors for id and not asking seniors for the same? Both is to prevent the violation of a law (selling to minor, vs illegal residence) and both use some sort of profiling (racial or age oriented) to accomplish their task.

if Arizona starts hunting illegal immigrant, all illegal would eventually leave the state. that would bring a huge gap in the economy of Arizona due to lack to cheap workers. economy, small business and cheap workers are closely tried now. i see negative impact on the economy of Arizona.

ya a lot of liberal minded people are bailing on moving to arizona....some time ago i was watching Cnn and i came across a Seriff named Arpio who was up and arms aginst the illegals and he blatently admitted that he profiles illegals by the way they dress and look....outcry!!!

anyways ...i guess ppl there are jusst spooked by the crime and over burderned public service system by ppl who dont pay taxes...

I just hope SOMETHING will be done by Obama to help legal immigrants who went to schoool here for advanced degreed speed up the process.

Debates aside the fact is that illegal immigrants are being unfair but easy target of the national outcry of unemployment, bad economy and crimes around the country.

I don't have a job, blame it on the illegals who stole it. Fact of the matter is I won't do what he is doing even if I have to starve since unemployment benefit pays more.

I am living on my last strands of savings because illegals are Using up our resources and don’t pay taxes. This drives economy down and affects me.

 

I feel unsafe since these illegals drive w/o license and come from a disturbed family causing havoc.

 

Ofcourse this is NOT the sentiment of the entire US, but a select group who cannot stand them. If your protest is solely based upon the fact that they are “illegal” then that’s a different case. Ofcourse it is hard to separate who is for what.

 

REWIRE:

"I'm not againt illegal immigrants and many of our Nepali people are illegal too, but the sheer volume of Hispanics is becoming  too much. They will be the biggest race pretty soon. Nature calls for checks and balances."

***how can you say this ? this is the exact sentiment of racial profiling...why are you aginst hispanice for all we know Nepalis look a lot like form south of the border too!! the law should be aginst the criminals

Aabak
The issue here is not about racial profiling (yes the outcome is perceived as "racist" by the liberals), it is about stopping crime and criminals. Let me remind you, entering into a country without proper document is a CRIME, whether you like it or not. Every country abides with this law and is the simplest common sense, a universal truth. If the process to stop it turns into racial profiling, so be it. The French are making law to ban Hijab and so are the Swiss. They have realized that over populated Arabic culture is literally driving their people away from their own native land, their existence and values. Every country will do something to protect their own people from foreign intruder (except coward Nepali like us), not just the US. I'm a moderate liberal. Our Nepali illegal population is not even 2% of theirs population. Yes we might look like them, but our stories in the US is much different than theirs.
All I'm saying is they are too many of them, somebody needs to tell them, "Hey, the bus is full. We cannot accommodate all of your people, Central and South Americas". I do not see any racism there. If the US born Mexican is not allowed to vote or deprived of his basic rights, that, my friend, is true RACISM.
So to you, the US should allow any Tom Dick and Harry, and if not they are RACIST? Get a logic in your head and not think from your emotion.

Rewire: I liked this opinion
----------------------
They (French) have realized that over populated Arabic culture is literally
driving their people away from their own native land, their existence
and values.


The same is true in Nepal
----------------------
- They (Newah) have realized that over populated (Khas) culture is literally
driving their people away from their own native land (Nepal valley), their existence
and values, making all historic Newah places a mess.

- Now, there is no water, no clean environment, no clean air. It is like the hell. People are hardly living there, they are just struggling to survive. It is so unhealthy and dirty place. You are almost sure to be sick within days of your return back to your own home.

This is the result of uncontrolled immigration.