Arizona’s New Law
Controversy surrounds Arizona’s new immigration law, but why? A great majority of American CITIZENS support Arizona’s action of enacting their new law to crack down on illegal immigration, a job the federal government has failed and refuses to do. As a state, Arizona has the right to protect its residents/citizens, its local economy, its borders.
The “Squeaky Wheel” syndrome is working overtime in opposition to the law. Protests against the law are erupting nationwide. Look at the media coverage of these protests. See anything that these protesters have in common? I’m sure I’ll be labeled a racist or a profiler here, but the majority of these protesters are obviously Hispanic. Not a problem for me, unless they are illegal! Here’s a not so obvious idea, ICE needs to sweep these crowds and clean out the illegals! Yes I said it, illegals, not undocumented!
These Hispanics are so impassioned, so empowered to stand up against the government and law enforcement here, what of their native countries? Why have you come to the US, legally or illegally? My guess is because your home country’s government is corrupt and oppressive and cares nothing about its people. So go home and make the change in your own country. Fight for fairness, prosperity, freedom and liberty. That’s just what we did many years ago when an oppressive British government became too overbearing and a group of individuals came together to create one of the greatest documents of history, The Constitution of the United States of America. It’s true that blood was shed at the time, but what followed was the building of a nation, the greatest nation on earth, the United States.
Current immigration law specifically states that it is a felony for any person to gain entrance to the United States of America without proper inspection. Inspection would be performed by a government official in the employ of US Customs and/or US Immigration. Quite simple, isn’t it? Then, just what seems to be the problem with Arizona’s stepping up of enforcement? Many argue that racial profiling will be the means to the end. I beg to differ.
Profiling is used by law enforcement on a daily basis. It is not racial, it is criminal profiling. Without this very effective tool, many crimes around the country would go unsolved. This is no different and involves criminal, not racial profiling. An illegal immigrant is a criminal, a fugitive, running from the law. The whole concept that it is a crime to enter the US illegally, but it is not a crime for an illegal to remain in the US is just ludicrous. These people are no less felons for remaining as they were when entering. Consider this. If I, as an American, was to enter Mexico illegally and was caught, my punishment would be to spend two years in a Mexican prison and after, deportation. I hate to say it, but Mexico has it right! And Mexico is not the only country which punishes illegal immigrants.
So I ask you, why does the United States of America have to play by different rules than most every other country around the world? Why must we show an undue compassion towards those who defy our laws by crossing our borders illegally? My answer is that we do not have to.
Now, back to Arizona. The question has come up about defining “Reasonable Suspicion” and “Probable Cause” and how the new law will give local law enforcement in Arizona a free hand to harass individuals. The Arizona law is clear in this area. It states that an officer must make a “legal contact” with a subject before continuing verification of legal residency. This means that the officer must have reasonable suspicion that the subject has, or is in the commission of, or attempting to, or is planning to commit a crime. What this doesn’t allow an officer to do is to approach a subject only to verify the resident status. We are not a nation under military law, however, we a nation of laws, laws which are to be respected, followed and enforced when in place.
This law has been challenged as being “Unconstitutional”. I have seen many arguments on this premise, for and against. The 4th Amendment seems to be the primary citation during this debate. The 4th protects US residents against illegal search and seizure. Many Supreme Court decisions have clearly defined law enforcement’s responsibility in protecting the rights of American’s under the 4th. This does not only protect citizens and all legal residents of the United States, but anyone within our borders. These are the individual rights guaranteed all under the Constitution. The main action that Arizona’s new law puts into effect is to grant local authority to law enforcement to verify the residence status of an individual. I don’t have a problem with this at all.
The federal government has dropped the ball. Actually, I heard it put best this way. The Bush administration dropped the ball, but the Obama administration can’t even find the ball. Bush’s attempt to control our borders was feeble at best and really did very little. Even programs such as the physical and virtual fences systems were virtually ineffective because of the politics involved and the excruciatingly slow pace at which these systems were being implemented. Then, along comes Obama and all of it comes to a screeching halt while he and his pathetic excuse for an administration examines they’re options.
Come on Washington! Illegal immigrants are costing the nation billions of dollars each and every year and the tab is increasing annually. You must allow our current laws to be enforced and supply the funding for the personnel to do the job. Lock down our borders and stop the flood of illegal immigrants. Crack down on employers who continue to employ illegals and take advantage of their status as illegals to manipulate them into a slavery type situation. This action is more inhumane than enforcing our immigration laws.
If individuals wish to migrate to this great nation, get in line and do it legally. Many before you have and now reap the rewards that our great freedoms and liberty affords us. Yes, I know it’s not always easy and there are limits, but why should the citizen of another country have more rights than we as American citizens to our own country? And, why should the citizen of another country who enters the US illegally share in any of the rights of the US? This is not a human rights issue, this is an individual rights issue, because here in the United States we focus on individual rights.