North Carolina GOP Files Arizona-Style ‘Show Me Your Papers’ Bill

[octoberlib]

Four North Carolina House Republicans filed a bill on Wednesday that notably introduces the “show me your papers” provision of Arizona’s anti-immigration law. Under the bill, H.B. 786, police can check the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest and detain them for “reasonable suspicion.” The bill also makes it easier for police to seize immigrants’ vehicles. Furthermore, it would require a detained undocumented immigrant to pay the costs of his or her arrest, while making bail more difficult.

The bill does provide driver’s permits to undocumented immigrants if they lived in the state for one year. However, these licenses follow the controversial design North Carolina attempted to issue to DREAMers, which mark them from the rest of the state’s population: Undocumented immigrants would receive a vertical license, instead of the standard horizontal one, and they would carry a thumbprint.

Since Arizona enacted SB 1070, the state has suffered economically, losing hundreds of millions of dollars in productivity, tourism, and new business. North Carolina, home to 325,000 undocumented immigrants, also has a growing number of immigrant citizens who comprise 10 percent of the state’s workforce.

Lately, North Carolina Republicans have made the state the Tea Party’s ground zero with bills that suppress minority votes, create a state-sponsored religion, and shut down abortion clinics.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/04/12/1855831/north-carolina-arizona-immigration-bill/

[mwooldri]

1. This bill seems schizophrenic to me.

As a "documented alien", I did take interest in this. To me the part of making it a crime to take a colour copy of your drivers license or other ID card is just antiquated. Documented aliens have to show their alien residents card to get a licence, and an endorsement is on the licence starting when the "green card" expires. This bill does mean that documented aliens are not penalised for not having their card on them (generally though federal law says we are to have it with us, it is better to keep the card in a secure place -a replacement card is $500.).

For undocumented residents, it would mean that a licence can be legally obtained but if there is any suspicion that the applicant has committed a crime then there will be additional barriers. Also heaven forbid that once they got their licence they get stopped by law enforcement because the undocumented resident would establish their status just by presenting that drivers permit. Then that officer would have to make ICE aware of the fact that they have such an individual on their hands.

In essence, this bill makes issuing a driver's license to an undocumented resident pointless.

[octoberlib]

3. I think what we need are more Latinos

running for office in this state.

[barbtries]

2. they're really going to wreck the state.

i wish i had the wherewithal to leave already. i doubt i'll be around long enough to see the tide turn back to sanity and justice.