Let’s look at this “racist” cry about Arizona’s SB1970 Anti-Immigration Law for a moment.
Let’s say I’m driving my truck in one part of Phoenix, and an illegal is driving his truck in another part of Phoenix.
We both get pulled over for having broken tail lights.
We both get cited for not having a drivers license on us.
We both get cited for not having a valid proof of registration in the vehicle.
We both get cited for not having a valid proof of insurance certificate in the vehicle.
We are both detained and brought to the police station for further investigation into each of our legal citizenship status.
I am able to prove my citizenship with the acceptable documents required. The illegal alien is not able to prove his citizenship with the acceptable documents required.
I am sent home to my house in the suburbs. The illegal alien is sent home to Mexico.
Exactly where does the racism play into that equation?
Gary St. Lawrence
Tina
May 14, 2010
In this particular scenario there isn’t an issue of racial profiling.
However, lets put the scenario as an illegal Canadian and lets say a Mexican whom is an American citizen that just moved to AZ from Florida and only has a Florida DL and has been in AZ for almost 4 weeks with Florida plates on his/her vehicle and the registration is in his/her mother’s name because they could not get a car on their own credit.
Will the Canadian be deported because he/she could not provide valid proof of citizenship? Will the Mexican be released even though he cannot provide proof that he is an Arizona resident, and the police do not believe his FL DL to be valid?
And what about consulate papers? Are they valid? I just watched the news tonight and a Mexican who was a passenger in a semi truck with a legal US citizen, had papers from the US consulate stating he had the right to work in AZ, his wife and family have lived and worked here for 12 years, pays taxes and has medical insurance etc., and he is currently being held in jail and will be deported. So what constitutes valid papers? Can’t be a birth certificate as there are still many US born citizens that do not have them as the state they were born in did not issue them. I was born on an army base and do not have what is considered a “raised seal” birth certificate, I have a certificate of live birth, which even the motor vehicle department and some other branches of the government do not accept as valid identification of citizenship.
Being part Native American, I can assure you I am leery of this law because my skin is brown.
Gary St. Lawrence
May 14, 2010
You’re scenario doesn’t really apply because the Mexican *HAS* documentation and, upon background checking, his identity and residential history can be verified through state police agencies in Arizona and Florida.
In my scenario, the illegal has *NO* evidence. Additionally, my scenario happens a dozen times a day in Phoenix. Your scenario is a lot more speculative.
Hence the need for – and justification of – the Arizona law.
Let’s not try to paint the extreme scenario as the every-day.