The New York Times published an article this week that shows how the country is split with different views with polls showing who favors or disapproves the new Arizona immigration laws. Americans overall, think that immigration policies need to be overhauled. It’s funny that a majority of Americans support the new law that Arizona has adopted, even though they say it may lead to racial profiling.
In one way, I agree with Arizona. Why not grant police officers the right to ask for their papers? I’m Mexican-American – born and raised in Texas. I have no problem being asked for proof of residency if I passed through or lived in Arizona. I have nothing to hide – especially with all the violence and corruption coming from Mexico.
On the other hand, there’s the 36% polled in this New York Times article who agree that it went too far by passing the law in Arizona. I can agree with this too, as I see where the “rule” may be abused by officers if there are illegal immigrants who aren’t doing anything wrong but singled out because of their ethnic heritage.
It’s a win/lose situation in some ways.
Now, Governor Jan Brewer has made changes to the law keeping police from racial profiling and looking into immigration status only if they are stopped, detained or arrested in enforcing existing state laws. I believe she put these necessary parameters in because she was intimidated by other state politicians and American protestors.
When it’s all said and done, I believe current illegal immigrants should go through an application process to become legal citizens, with a deadline of about 2 years. Once that deadline passes, everyone who resides in the United States of America should carry paperwork and if it’s determined that you are here illegally, you get deported. Our government needs to take control of our immigration problems on a federal level.
I came across an article titled “Good and Immigration Law” written by one of my classmate, Fabian Mangana. His article is about some of the pros and cons of the recently passed “Arizona Immigration Law”. I agree with him that Arizona’s “Immigration Law” is a “win/lose situation in some ways”. A “win” situation because it’s a fact that the violence situation in Arizona State is increasing and getting out of control and something needs to be done about it, but it’s also a “lose” situation because the way Jan Brewer is proposed to do it somehow it creates a racial profiling, which at the end it results in a violation of our civil rights.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mangana that if you have nothing to hide, it should not be a problem, but it’s not about having something to hide or not, it’s about our civil rights as resident of United States, legally or not and racial segregation. He mentions that he wouldn’t mind to get pulled over and get ask for residency proof, but then exactly what are you going to show them, your drive license (DL)? Here in Texas, you can get a DL with a “Temporary Resident Identification Card (I-688)”, so once you get a DL and maybe later on your I-688 expires and you become “illegal”, in other words anybody can carry a DL and not necessarily means that person is a “legal US resident”. I’m from Puerto Rico, and my facial features are very similar of somebody from Mexico, so if a get pulled over and get ask for my proof of residence, even that I have nothing to worry about, there is really nothing that will proof that, unless I carry my birth certificate with me at all times. Also give that kind of power to our “law enforcement” officers it’s giving too much freedom and chance for corruption. I believe that what needs to be done is start making the requirements to get a “proof of legal residence” more strict. Also creates some sort of agencies that assist the IRS in going to private companies and ask for proof of legal residence of each worker without discriminating what racial backgrounds the workers have. Also just like Mangana proposed that “current illegal immigrants should go through an application process to become legal citizens, with a deadline of about 2 years. Once that deadline passes, everyone who resides in the United States of America should carry paperwork and if it’s determined that you are here illegally, you get deported.”I understand that we need to take control about the immigration status in our country and I believe this could be at least a good starting point.