Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday neared a deadline to act on the nation's toughest legislation against illegal immigration.
The sweeping measure would make it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. It would also require local police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal.
A Saturday deadline for Brewer, a Republican, to act on the bill was set on Monday when the legislation arrived on her desk. She can sign, veto or allow it to become law without her signature.
This law will also make sanctuary cities illegal. On the other hand, it will almost certainly lead to at least charges of racial profiling. The bill is currently overwhelmingly approved by the citizens of the state overrun with illegal immigration.
The president just weighed in on the bill.
He denounced as "misguided'' efforts around the nation to crack down on illegal immigrants -- pointing to Arizona, where protests and counter-protests are mounting amid local crackdowns and new state legislation allowing police to check the documents of people suspected of being illegal immigrants.
"If we continue to fail to act at a federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country,'' the president said. "That includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona.''' Efforts there, he said, "threatened 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 may or may not take up immigration reform later on in 2010. If he does, the only way to make it work is to combine tough border security and enforcement with a path to citizenship. This is a window into what Obama thinks is tough border security.
5 comments:
I imagine people think of cops asking gangbangers for their papers when they're getting busted or whatever. But I think we all know that its only a matter of time before some cop decides that its reasonable to believe every poor Latino looks like someone who could be here illegally.
In any case, Obama's got to take some of the blame for this. He appointed Napolitano to DHS knowing a Republican would take her spot as Arizona's governor.
Frankly I find it bizarre we have arrived at this point.
1) We assume LE will be bad.
2) We somehow can't ascribe that same sentiment to those in the Gov't who have also proven there are "bad apples" that breach their oaths, and do things like take bribes, funnel money to their friends and special interests groups/
3) That somehow, when stopping someone, it is wrong to ask them to provide proof they are here legally.
BTW, I just renewed my DL this week. Not only did I have to have a birth certificate, I had to show my SS card, and provide two pieces of mail showing where I lived. All were scanned in to "the system" for the RealID stuff. So, I had to prove I was a citizen of the US just to renew my driver's license. What's so damn wrong with asking those who are breaking the law to have to prove who they are?
Its a world turned upside down. Those of us who belong here are having to have very specific records gathered on us, yet to expect the same from illegals is racist? My view: If you're breaking the law, you should fear being stopped.
On top of all of this, isn't this law a push to require AZ LE to enforce Federal Immigraion Law now on the books? Ain't that a kick in the A$$: States following Federal Law are chastised by the head federal LE officer himself for making sure law breakers are apprehended.
And Obama calls himself a lawyer?
this law will all come down to application. My biggest problem with it is the word "reasonable". That's really vague and so depending on how LE applies that word will determine if it is a good bill.
Mike;
Concur, but I bet we'd look at many laws and see there has discretion allowances for all sorts of things. I'd say if there is a complex law, such as this on the books, without a few such caveats, then "loopholes" would abound.
If the belief is those hard working LE people on the streets are largely corrupt and racist, then you'd right. If the closer to reality view of most all of them are upright citizens, who take their use of authority very seriously, but know there are a few who would take bribes, hide evidence, and commit crimes while hiding behind their badges, then I'm willing to bet the enforcement is reasonable, but there will be a few cases poorly handled, as with about any case of significance. Bottom line to this view is the illegals, who are violating federal law will be identified and handled. Citizens will be let to go free.
Like with civil servant "jokes:" Most are far from lazy and most work a full day, and some bust their butts and do more. Yes some are milking the system, but where do we not find this behavior in all of society?
I'm not saying they are. Still, the more vague a law's guidance is the more it can and will be abused.
A reasonable suspicion can mean anything to anyone and so unless there is a clearer directive, I think there will be problems.
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