Check out this article about the new immigration law in Arizona. I, myself, have been wondering why it is such a big deal to require all citizens to carry identification...even if it isn't a law, don't you need it to do any number of things, including:
use a credit card
drive a car
buy alcohol, cigarettes, or some cold meds
check into a hotel
do anything in a government building, including entering the building in the first place
This just doesn't seem like a crazy requirement to me. What do you think?
As for the argument that law enforcement officers will single people out based on skin color, the law specifically forbids that. Much like searching your vehicle, or ticketing you for not wearing a seatbelt, the officers will be required to have pulled you over, or made contact for some legitimate reason in the first place. Then, if there is reasonable cause to believe someone is here illegally, which cannot be based solely on skin color, they will investigate further.
To me, this seems like only empowering police to do the job of keeping legal citizens safe.
10 comments:
Hmmm, I think the problem is that this is just a law for people who look different. You're a natural citizen but you are Latino? Your license isn't enough, they need to see your birth certificate. Do I need to carry my birth certificate around? probably not. And, IMO, you can't expressly forbid racial profiling in a law that basically requires it.
Why not make it easier and give them armbands? KWIM?
Besides, it's already illegal to be here illegally, why do they need another law?
HOLY CRAP. I didn't know you're pregnant!! That's so great, congratulations!!
There are a couple of states where you can actually get a driver's license without being a legal citizen, but Arizona isn't one of them. Thus, showing a driver's license would alleviate any suspicions. If a legal immigrant chooses not to have a driver's license, then they would have to carry the green card or work visa, or whatever gives them the right to be in the country. That's not new- all foreigners have always been required to carry those.
What IS new, is giving police the power to enforce it. Now, if there's reasonable suspicion, police can ask for an ID or a green card, or whatever documentation because it's required that people carry it. AND the police are required to contact Immigration and Customs if they suspect something.
Also, with the inclusion of the clause "lawful contact," racial profiling will not be used any more than it has in the past. If a Latino has immigrated legally, or was born in the US, he or she will likely be able to show ID and/or a green card, which eliminates the need to investigate further. If they forgot their ID or lost it, then once immigration is contacted, they issue will be put to rest. It's people without ID, breaking laws, who will run into problems. But why shouldn't they?
If I'm breaking the law, and a cop stops me, and I'm unable to show ID of any kind, then I would expect a cop to take issue with that.
Oh yeah, we just started telling everyone. Not due until December, so we have awhile to go :)
What do you think would constitute reasonable suspicion? Is it defined in the law? I can't think of much beyond, "he looks different or he talks different"
"If they forgot their ID or lost it, then once immigration is contacted, they issue will be put to rest."
Until then, they are sitting in jail. The rights of American citizens are being violated for very little gain.
I'm not sure why racial profiling is an issue if someone is already breaking a law... but I agree that there will be some legal citizens who get caught up in this. However, I wonder how many, who have come here legally will ever forget their ID or be unwilling to cooperate. Most of the legal immigrants I know are very, very upset about illegal immigration.
But I haven't read the law, so I'm not very informed on this one.
I think the problem is that legal immigrants and natural born citizens are being required to carry papers. It's like a police state, they can now demand ID from anyone for any reason. If someone is legal but forgets his ID, he could have to sit in jail until his wife brings his papers.
The bigger issue in my mind is that it's going to do VERY little for the problem while giving the police too much authority. Racial profiling is a problem because not every darker skinned person is an illegal or even an immigrant. The police are already allowed to check on a person's immigration status if they are caught committing a crime. This law is unnecessary and I think it clearly goes against the ideals of America. Notice they are not going after the companies who employ illegals. Nor are they working on better border control. These things would go much further toward solving the problem without violating the rights of the citizens.
Actually, the law has a provision allowing them to go after legal citizens who are transporting illegals, and doing so for monetary gain. I think that will go a long way in getting the problem at one of its sources.
As far as "reasonable doubt," the article listed several things, such as: driver not having ID, car packed full of other people who don't have ID, driver acting evasive, car is on a known drug/human smuggling route. All those things combined would equal reasonable suspicion.
The thing is, though, no one is being required to "carry papers" if they have a state ID. I can remember maybe two times I've left the house without my driver's license, and I think it's totally reasonable to require everyone, citizen, legal immigrant, legal visitor, whatever, to carry a state issued photo ID.
Yeah, I think that's really where we part ways. I shouldn't be required to carry ID. I shouldn't need the state to be able to ID me unless I'm committing a crime. A driver's license is considered a privilege and the majority of the urban poor who don't drive, also don't have a state issued ID. There isn't a lot that you need it for so people only get it if something comes up and you need it.
I lost my driver's license two weeks ago and still need to get it replaced. That would leave me subject to jail time until my identity could be proven even though I wasn't doing anything wrong.
Nope, I don't like that at all. Isn't this the kind of thing end times people warn us about? I mean, not that I really believe all that stuff but that's certainly a fear among a lot of Christians.
I'm sorry, I meant to add that a citizen is constitutionally protected from having to show ID. I don't know how they are proposing to get around that.
Post a Comment