From the Department of Redundancy Department:
Arizona Bill Aims to Outlaw Illegal Immigrants in State
The Arizona House on Tuesday approved a bill to crack down on illegal immigration by making it against state law to be in Arizona without legal immigration documents.
Only a bunch of politicians could come up with that one. Because another law making it even more illegaler to be an ILLEGAL ALIEN will deter the lawbreakers.
Next up: Double Secret Probation for those that break the unlawful-illegal-alien law…
Curtis Lowe 
April 14, 2010 at 2:00 pm |
Unfortunately, this was AZ’s response to: 1) the feds’ refusal to enforce federal statutes re: illegal immigrants; and 2) libtards’ efforts to prevent local law enforcement from even inquiring as to the citizenship of a suspect, arrestee, or convict. I have to side with AZ on this one. Now they have a tool to use themselves to combat the problem without waiting for Uncle Sugar to do his job.
Eventually, Sheriff Joe Arpayo (sp?) is going to run for governor. That’ll be fun to watch. I hope he wins.
April 14, 2010 at 2:38 pm |
Understood – I still think it’s funny that the state has to make a law because the federal law isn’t properly enforced.
How do you think the part about “giving (police) the right to stop anyone on “reasonable suspicion” they may be an illegal immigrant and arrest them if they are not carrying identity papers” part will pass muster against the Constitution?
Upon what will they be permitted to base their “reasonable suspicion?” – skin color? hair color? Eye color?
And yeah – sheriff Joe – the guy that makes his inmates wear pink underwear and jumpsuits – you just gotta like a guy like that!
April 14, 2010 at 3:36 pm |
Cops can already detain people on “reasonable suspicion” of commission of a crime. Your second question really hits the heart of the matter: what constitutes a reasonable suspicion of violation of this statute? The characteristics you list are certainly part of the typical profile. Please remember, that “profiling” is not illegal and is not unconstitutional. That’s why liberals have been engaging in such a widespread campaign to discredit profiling: it’s a perfectly legal (and effective) law enforcement tool. On the other hand, I don’t expect cops to be doing illegal alien sweeps. I think this statute is meant to allow (and even encourage) them to check the citizenship of people they’re detaining or even just checking out for other reasons. It gives them another tool to get rid of unsavory characters. They have to apply it evenhandedly though. I think they should check the citizenship of everyone they arrest.
April 15, 2010 at 8:41 am |
Hey Nunya, want to chime in here?
April 15, 2010 at 9:48 am |
So you see this (as an analogy) like a seatbelt law – not a primary offense, but once they have you stopped for something else they can pull this card out too? I’m OK with that.
I just don’t think we should give police officers carte blanche to stop people and ask for their “papers” – and yes I know they can pretty much do that anyway…
April 16, 2010 at 2:18 am |
Steve, I’m pretty much with you on everything, and I also agree with Curtis that demanding to see “zie papers” sounds a little fascist. I see a problem with the mechanics of enforcement too.
What makes enforcement really tough is the fact that we don’t papers showing citizenship, we just have papers showing if you are a legal immigrant. My wife is an immigrant to the U.S. and she is required by law to carry her “green card” with her. Since I’m a citizen, I don’t have a green card.
Now imagine the police stop me and ask to see proof of citizenship. I don’t have green card. You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to get a drivers license or police I.D., so they don’t tell the police if someone is here legally or illegally. Does failure to produce a green card mean I’m in the U.S. illegally, or does that mean I’m a citizen and thus don’t have to carry a green card?
The closest thing we have to national I.D. showing citizenship is a passport. But citizens are not required to get passports (some of my brothers and sisters don’t have them). Also, to get one all you have to do is fill out a form and mail it with a photo of yourself and a birth certificate (maybe even your own birth certificate, but nobody really knows).
April 23, 2010 at 6:36 pm |
Until the liberals are no longer allowed to tie the hands of law enforcement. This is a step that probably needs to be taken. Is it redundant? Yes but thank the liberals for that.
Illegal is not a race…it is a crime.