What is Going On in Arizona?

[guido911]

First, the legislature passes the toughest immigration law in the country, now its house passes a bill requiring Obama to produce a birth certificate if he expects to get on the ballot in 2012:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/21/national/a152843D73.DTL&type=politics

[guido911]

The AZ governor signed the anti-immigration bill, essentially thumbing her nose at Obama.

[nathanm]

The AZ governor signed the anti-immigration bill, essentially thumbing her nose at Obamacommon decency and civil rights.

Fixed that for ya.

[dbacks fan]

Greetings from gound zero. Here is a link to the actual order that was signed into law in the state of Arizona today:

http://www.azcentral.com/ic/pdf/0423immigration-executive-order.pdf

I have been living in Arizona since May of 1998, and have seen, either personaly, in the media here, or personal experiences through close friends the problems that are going on. The bill was signed today, less than twelve hours after DPS stopped a U-Haul truck in southern Arizona was pulled over and the driver and the passenger ran from the truck leaving 60 some odd illegals in the back of the truck. This is almost a daily occurence here. The US has done a good job of securing the border but has left a gaping hole in southern AZ as the point of entry for illegals. These illegals include one of the terorrist for 9/11 that was residing four blocks from where I live. The bill gives local authorities the ability to check on the status of legal residency of people that they come into contact with. The problem with the bill is the fact that it does nothing to strengthen the border between the US and Mexico. The Arizona/Mexico border is a war zone. We have had Mexican Federales posing as US/Phoenix Police and almost winding up in a gun battle that you would find in Iraq in downtown Phoenix. I have said this before and I will say it again, Arizona, and Phoenix is the second most kidnap centers in the world, just behind Moscow.

What the state is trying to do is give local law enforcement the ability to do what the feds haven't been able to do. Hopefully this will start up the Federal Immigration Reform, but a lot of people view that as giving amnesty to 11 million people, and to me the worst part of that is we might give amnesty to criminals.

For further news you can check out:

http://www.azcentral.com/

http://www.kpho.com/index.html

http://www.ktar.com/

http://www.kfyi.com/main.html

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/

http://www.abc15.com/default.aspx

Also, this bill/law is already being sued, and will be pursued in the 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals.

[dbacks fan]

Hani Hanjour

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hani_Hanjour

[fotd]

Conveniently ignoring the fact that those children of undocumened workers are American Citizens.
Glad to see Potus Obama came out against this before it was signed. Hopefully, he'll back efforts to repeal and/or block implimentation.

[guido911]

Conveniently ignoring the fact that those children of undocumened workers illegal aliens are American Citizens.
Glad to see Potus Obama came out against this before it was signed. Hopefully, he'll back efforts to repeal and/or block implimentation.

fify.

Are these the "law-abiding illegals"?

[guido911]

Fixed that for ya.

Tell me oh wise one what you know about civil rights and what have you done to vindicate them for others.  And I gather that 70% of Arizonans are just indecent.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/arizona/70_of_arizona_voters_favor_new_state_measure_cracking_down_on_illegal_immigration

[azbadpuppy]

And I gather that 70% of Arizonans are just indecent.

Yes, that would be correct.

This law is a moral and racial sin. It is completely misguided and does nothing to curb illegal immigration. People are so frustrated with illegal immigration (and rightfully so) that they will accept this racist bill because they think it doesn't affect them, and that somehow this allowing of racial profiling will only apply to persons of brown skin. That thinking in and of itself is racist. The only positive thing I can gather from this is that it hopefully will force the issue with the federal govenment and reform will follow. It is such a complex matter that I don't know how it can be fixed, but I do know this bill is not the answer.

Ultimately the bill is unconstitutional and when challenged it will be struck down in court.

However, I believe the damage has been done, and this along with the 'birther bill', the idiotic gun laws (or lack of them) and the past history of the MLK holiday and racist governors gives the state a very non-friendly, intolerant image to the rest of the world. The inevitable boycotts have already begun.

I never would have believed it, but Arizona is making Oklahoma look pretty good right about now....

[nathanm]

Tell me oh wise one what you know about civil rights and what have you done to vindicate them for others.

I know that I don't carry around my papers, so if I were brown and had an accent, I'd have a fun time rotting in jail while they figured out that I'm a citizen.

If the law was less vague about what constituted suspicion that the person in question was here illegally, it might be salvageable.

I'd rather see better immigration law on the federal level, obviously. (IMO, better immigration law would let more people come here legally and force ICE to be less arbitrary about the whole thing)

[guido911]

Yes, that would be correct.

This law is a moral and racial sin. It is completely misguided and does nothing to curb illegal immigration. People are so frustrated with illegal immigration (and rightfully so) that they will accept this racist bill because they think it doesn't affect them, and that somehow this allowing of racial profiling will only apply to persons of brown skin. That thinking in and of itself is racist. The only positive thing I can gather from this is that it hopefully will force the issue with the federal govenment and reform will follow. It is such a complex matter that I don't know how it can be fixed, but I do know this bill is not the answer.

Ultimately the bill is unconstitutional and when challenged it will be struck down in court.

However, I believe the damage has been done, and this along with the 'birther bill', the idiotic gun laws (or lack of them) and the past history of the MLK holiday and racist governors gives the state a very non-friendly, intolerant image to the rest of the world. The inevitable boycotts have already begun.

I never would have believed it, but Arizona is making Oklahoma look pretty good right about now....

Notice you conveniently overlook the abject immorality of the rape, murder, and kidnapping of innocent U.S. citizens by illegals in Arizona. How about the immorality of all those immigrants that came to this country legally, and followed the rules to be come citizens just to see others entering illegally. And how about the immorality of making us taxpayers pay for their education, medical care, police protection at the expense of U.S. citizens. You seem to care more about the illegals than your own neighbors. And as for it not working, how in the he!! do you know that? You gotta crystal ball somewhere that lets you see the future?

Second, as you are apparently a constitutional scholar, please explain to me how the Arizona law is unconstitutional. For beginners, which constitution does it violate (state or fed).

Also, I am getting freakin tired of people in this country always shouting "racism". If you oppose Obama, you're a racist. If you oppose the stimulus, you're a racist. You attend a tea party, you're a racist. It's getting to the point that I think the only racists are those who call things/people racist because of their obsession with race.

[fotd]

Also, I am getting freakin tired of people in this country always shouting "racism". If you oppose Obama because he is not an American citizen or because he is black , you're a racist. If you oppose the stimulus just because POTUS OBAMA proposed it, you're a racist. You attend a tea party where there are no minorities yet signs of chimps with Obama's face on them, you're a racist. It's getting to the point that I think the only racists are those who call things/people racist because of their obsession with race.

Just you angry white guys seem obsessed with race.

[guido911]

I'd rather see better immigration law on the federal level, obviously. (IMO, better immigration law would let more people come here legally and force ICE to be less arbitrary about the whole thing)

Me too. But dammit the fed government isn't doing to much of anything right now. McCain wants National Guard troops and thousands more border agents (I know, that's racist too azbad), so far crickets. Look for more states following Arizona's example.

[guido911]

Just you angry white guys seem obsessed with race.

"Most moronic post of the day" winner.  Here's a pic of your trophy:

[nathanm]

Notice you conveniently overlook the abject immorality of the rape, murder, and kidnapping of innocent U.S. citizens by illegals in Arizona. How about the immorality of all those immigrants that came to this country legally, and followed the rules to be come citizens just to see others entering illegally. And how about the immorality of making us taxpayers pay for their education, medical care, police protection at the expense of U.S. citizens. You seem to care more about the illegals than your own neighbors. And as for it not working, how in the he!! do you know that? You gotta crystal ball somewhere that lets you see the future?

Second, as you are apparently a constitutional scholar, please explain to me how the Arizona law is unconstitutional. For beginners, which constitution does it violate (state or fed).

Also, I am getting freakin tired of people in this country always shouting "racism". If you oppose Obama, you're a racist. If you oppose the stimulus, you're a racist. You attend a tea party, you're a racist. It's getting to the point that I think the only racists are those who call things/people racist because of their obsession with race.

While I don't necessarily think the Arizona law is racist in intent, it will almost certainly be racist in application. I seriously doubt every time a cop in Arizona pulls someone over for speeding they will ask for a birth certificate or passport to go along with the driver's license. Unless they're brown and speak with an accent. What other criteria could there be for suspecting someone was an illegal immigrant (in the case of Arizona, where most immigrants are from central america)?

Illegal immigrants do often, if not usually, pay their own way. Not only do they pay sales taxes, as everyone else does, they often (using a false SSN) pay payroll taxes as well. If Arizona funds schools through property tax, if they are living somewhere, they are paying for their children to be educated, whether directly or indirectly through their rent.

In any event, US citizens have already been detained for long periods of time because of questions about their legal presence. That sort of thing is not OK.