Arizona's SB 1070 and why it is so wrong

SB 1070 passed in Arizona on Monday. On Friday, the governor signed it into law. For information about it, you can read here: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14949266

I am deeply concerned about this bill and the impacts that it may have. Let me begin by saying I am not in support of illegal immigration. It is a problem in the United States and I don't disagree that it needs to be dealt with. But this is not the right way to deal with it.

There are two primary reasons I don't support this bill. The first has to do with the role of federal and state governments. States rights advocates are the first to stand up and scream "FEDERALISM" whenever the federal government passes a law that might limit the rights of individual states. So why, then, should states be able to pass laws regarding an issue that is uniquely federal in nature? States can't issue passports or visas, grant citizenship or deport undocumented individuals, that is the Federal government's job. SB1070 seeks to implement Arizona's own scheme of immigration regulation – separate and in conflict with federal government policy – when our Constitution envisions a unified nation under one federal set of immigration regulations.

The second reason that I cannot support this bill and will be actively working to get it repealed is the potential for racial profiling and abuse. States cannot go around making their own immigration rules, it is too easy to abuse, racially profile and undermine the basic human dignity of anyone who doesn't "look American." This is not the right way to address illegal immigration. Whether we are documented or not documented, at the end of the day we are all still human beings who deserve basic human rights and dignity.

Along the same line, people are appropriately concerned that this bill will lead to less reporting of crime. Think about it, if you are a U.S. citizen who has brown skin and you aren't carrying proof of citizenship, and you witness a crime, are you going to trust the police enough to call them and report the crime? The police are now OBLIGATED under this law to demand proof of citizenship from anyone who might not be a citizen, even in the case of someone reporting a crime.

Most people who are undocumented live with their families, and those families usually have a mix of documented and undocumented residents. Now even citizens or green card holders are going to live in fear of law enforcement.

I am privileged in a number of ways. My white skin and blond hair will make it very unlikely that I would be stopped on suspicion of being undocumented. But just because I won't get stopped or harassed doesn't mean I can sit idly by while others might. As I said earlier, we are all human beings who deserve basic human rights and dignity, regardless of our immigration status or skin color. This bill strips away those rights for anyone who might look "different."

I am not the only one that feels this way. People from all walks of life and even various political backgrounds do not support this bill for one reason or another. To read other people's opinions of the bill, check out these links below. Each one of these organizations and people has their own reason for believing that this legislation is ill-conceived and wrong-headed. I would encourage you to read through each of these articles below to see why such a wide mix of people and organizations, both liberal and conservative, representing law enforcement, education, and religious groups all feel as strongly as I do about this bill. I encourage feedback and dialogue on this and would be interested to hear your (civil) comments and feedback about this posting.

Arizona: Religious leaders urge Arizona governor to veto anti-immigrant bill

Los Angeles: Cardinal Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles questions SB 1070
Below is an excerpt of his blog post about the issue:
The law is wrongly assuming that Arizona residents, including local law enforcement personnel, will now shift their total attention to guessing which Latino-looking or foreign-looking person may or may not have proper documents. That's also nonsense. American people are fair-minded and respectful. I can't imagine Arizonans now reverting to German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques whereby people are required to turn one another in to the authorities on any suspicion of documentation. Are children supposed to call 911 because one parent does not have proper papers? Are family members and neighbors now supposed to spy on one another, create total distrust across neighborhoods and communities, and report people because of suspicions based upon appearance?

Various cities and states have tried such abhorrent tactics over the decades with absolutely no positive effect. Such laws have all been struck down by courts or repealed by wise citizens. Sadly, such laws lead to a new round of immigrant-bashing--usually in times of economic downturn.

President Obama: He spoke about this bill and the issue of illegal immigration during a White House Press Conference on Friday. You can read about his remarks in a Wall Street Journal Article by Clicking here.

The Flagstaff, Arizona Police Department, The Coconino County (Northern Arizona) Sheriff Bill Pribil, the Chairwoman of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and Arizona State Representative Tom Chabin: You can read their statements on SB 1070 by clicking here.

The Arizona School Board Association: You can read their statement on SB 1070 by clicking here. An excerpt is below:
We fear that SB1070 will create a chilling effect that will make some parents hesitant to send their children to school, even if those children are eligible to attend Arizona public schools, thus inhibiting such opportunities for success.