Arizona lawmakers pass bill to CRIMINALIZE illegal immigration

[Bluebear]

Arizona lawmakers on Monday approved one of the toughest illegal immigration laws in the United States.

The immigration bill now heads to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who has five days to sign it, veto it or do nothing and allow it to become law. Brewer said she'd be reviewing the legislation over the next several days, indicating that she will likely take the maximum time allowed to her before taking action.

Senate Bill 1070 would, among other things, make it a state crime to be in the country illegally and require local police to enforce federal-immigration laws. If the governor signs it, Arizona would be the first state to criminalize illegal immigrants...

Nearly 30 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in front of Brewer's Glendale home Sunday night in a bid to convince her to veto the bill. Dozens more carried signs opposing the bill in front of her office Monday morning. The protesters said the bill could increase racial profiling in Arizona...


U.S. Sen. John McCain threw his support toward the measure on Monday.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/04/19/20100419arizona-immigration-bill-passes.html

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Arapaio's wet dream.

Fuck him and his ilk. I hope the progressives can sweep out the AZ Legislature this year... any chance (in hell or otherwise?)

Brewer's gotta go too.

Hawkeye-X

[SoCalDem]

19. If Arpaio does not get locked up, he'll end up as governor

Arizona better wake up..they are asking for real trouble

[panader0]

2. I'm embarrassed more than ever for my state.

[classysassy]

9. Love this state

its the ass holes that run things(ruining an other wise nice place).

[lonestarnot]

10. Richie riches moved in and took over.

:puke: I vote tax those fuckers.

[SargeUNN]

38. Yeah I totally agree

I enjoy living here in Phoenix and love the state, but our political mentality is about as bad or worse than the state I called home for over half a century, Mississippi. We need to stand up to this criminal legislature here and Democrats need to unite and defeat these nit wits. I getting to thinking more each day, I am back in Mississippi.

[newspeak]

50. I grew up in Phoenix

had some fun times there. My great aunt was secretary to Sen. Carl Hayden. Arizona once was reasonable--even though we had the Bircher's, they were the looney minority. Arizona is fairly diverse (maybe that's why the anglos want the one's born there to leave). Large hispanic community, various native american communities, etc....

If this law goes as far as allowing officers to stop anyone just to check their papers (stop brown people)--then Arizona has gone way over into lalaland.

[BunkerHill24]

3. Surely there will be court challenge....

[Bobbieo]

4. Brewer won't sign or veto. She will just let SB 1070 become law!!!

It will become law this week. I'm also ashamed of my state, too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. This is just sad.

[virgogal]

6. There are 49 other states. They will be wecomed there.

[BunkerHill24]

18. Indeed, I would welcome them with open arms.

[Bobbieo]

7. This is going to very difficult for Hispanic police officers throughout

the state. I see nothing postive with this bill.

[Vickers]

8. This could backfire. If illegal immigration is criminalized, and

a person/company has hired them, they could be in just as much trouble.

[lonestarnot]

11. Only reason I can think of to support corporate personage.

[harkadog]

42. Arizona already passed that law a couple years ago.

Quite a few Hispanics left the state at the time because they couldn't find work.

[PavePusher]

12. What part of "illegal" is difficult to understand? n/t

[KonaKane]

13. Lots of things are illegal.

Like, say for instance, starting an entire war based on lies and placing our troops wrongly in harms way (see Treason). But I haven't seen a state outlaw Bush yet.

I guess it depends on your priorities.

[Bluebear]

14. Oh yes, my big progressive "hero". Like "cops" have nothing "better" to "do".

[PavePusher]

15. A significant number of crimes are commited by illegal aliens.

Aside from their illegal immigrant status.

I'm not sure how to translate your seeming snipe at police.

[EFerrari]

16. The myth of immigrant criminality and the paradox of assimilation

It is a myth that immigrants increase the amount of crime in the United States. Data from the U.S. census and other sources show that for every ethnic group -- without exception -- incarceration rates among young men are lowest for immigrants. This holds true especially for the Mexicans, Salvadorans, and Guatemalans who make up the bulk of the undocumented immigrant population.

http://www.legalactioncenter.org/sites/default/files/docs/Imm%20Criminality%20%28IPC%29.pdf

[cbdo2007]

23. So the amount of crime in the U.S. is exactly the same counting or not

counting immigrant numbers? Your data proves different.

Maybe you just mispoke, but immigrants DO increase the amount of crime in the United States but the question is whether or not it is because they are immigrants or not. Just trying to clarify your first sentence which would be false about any group of people.

[EFerrari]

24. I posted the article's title. n/t

[anigbrowl]

31. he's referring to the first line of your message

You inadvertently created a misleading impression through use of the incorrect term.

[anigbrowl]

29. The amount is higher but not the incidence

Obviously, any crime increases the amount of total crimes committed in absolute terms. But the incidence of crime committed by illegal aliens does not seem to be higher than that of the general population.

[Bluebear]

22. It was no 'snipe' at police. They have enough to do without being immigration.

[EFerrari]

25. Worse, anyone who doesn't want police contact

because they or someone in their household is undocumented will no longer report crime

Worse, the large Latino and Native American pop in AZ is now fair game for harrassment, citizens or not

This is bullshit no matter who tries to call it Arpege.

[Bluebear]

26. OMG, e, imagine being a Hispanic police officer in Arizona.

Nightmare.

[EFerrari]

30. I know. n/t

[SargeUNN]

34. You need to educate yourself more on this

I had on Dan Saban during his last run against Arpaio as my guest host. Saban spent the show on immigration issues and he explained that there are 2 groups not just one. One is the group who takes nothing in social benefits, hides in the shadows, lives by the laws more rigidly than borned citizens, and tries to stay unnoticed. They are the ones Arpaio picks on, but the other group is the ones that intend to do harm.

The problem group is the one that Arpaio doesn't bother with. It takes too much real police work for him and the media spotlight is too important to bother with a real intense investigation. What Saban wanted to see was a focus on the real trouble and some sort of way to resolve the citizenship or legal residence of the ones who are obeying the law and being good citizens.

I have done shows on the Dream Act and come across many decent people who aren't citizens because they were brought to this country as babies or young children. They have excelled in education, been solid citizens and would be a plus to our nation, but due to the fact if they applied to become citizens they would be sent back to a country they don't know, be denied citizenship here for 10 years, then after that be unlikely to get it, they have to stay in hiding.

So don't think a large percentage are trouble makers, that is pure propaganda.

[EFerrari]

47. If our government stopped making war on democracy in Latin America

that stream of cheap labor would dry up.

The right wing would lose a scapegoat.

And these people could stay home where they want to be.

As it is, expect a wave from Honduras where our government just gave the nod to raping, torturing, murdering bastards as they took out an elected president with our help from soup to nuts. From Colombia because every time we get more active there, there are bad consequences for the people from the paramilitaries we fund. The stream from Mexico will not stop until we drop this fake drug war / money laundering front for the alphabet soup agencies. And of course, Haitians will be fleeing a country we with Canada and France helped to destroy.

Complaining about illegal immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean is like complaining about runoff after a monsoon.

[xxqqqzme]

21. ever pass a rolled one to the person nexrt to you?

[PavePusher]

27. Nope. Not until I retire from my current job.

And by then, hopefully, it won't be illegal. I'm doing my part, how about you?

[EFerrari]

32. You're doing your part of what?

[EFerrari]

17. Another way to harrass people of color. 'Way to go, Arizona.

:sarcasm:

[xxqqqzme]

20. A state legislature can pass legislation

requiring local authorities to enforce federal laws?

[SargeUNN]

28. Arizona reminds me of Mississippi

I know Mississippi where I lived over half a century and have lived in Arizona for 3 years. I posted about this and what we need to do at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8184875

[anigbrowl]

33. It won't survive a court challenge

It's unconstitutional on a number of grounds. then again the main purpose is to whip up political support among conservatives, who will duly deride the courts as being stuffed with 'activist judges' for sticking to the constitution.

[SargeUNN]

35. I agree but look at the cost to the State

Arizona is getting out of a very bad recession that hit it harder than most states. We underfund education, social services and even have kid's care being taken away. We really don't need the added cost of defending a stupid law that is not likely to stand up.

The problem here is libertarians and the birther types make up 75% of the legislature and the influence on our government here from Grover Norquist, is quickly taking this state into a failed state type situation.

[anigbrowl]

37. can't disagree with you on that. nt

[Iggo]

36. "...a state crime to be in the country..."

That don't sound right.

[SargeUNN]

39. Sadly I say Boycott Arizona

Please know this hurts to say this, but the only way we are going to get rid of this cancer is to starve it out. Yeah it will hurt people like myself greatly, but this sets up other states to test these dangerous waters. I am willing to sacrifice to help my state and nation.

[NNN0LHI]

44. I have to since even though I was born here I am of Italian decent and have Mediterranean features

With this law my features alone would make me a suspected criminal and subject to police harassment.

I will avoid this state like the plague. I will stay in the civilized stats.

Don

[newspeak]

45. Listening to KO

It sounds like the police can pull you over and ask for your papers. I can hear it now--"show me your papers-show me your here legally"--"but, officer I was born in the US"-- "so, where's your birth certificate." Most of my friends growing up were mexican-american--half of my colleagues were mexican-american. I stated in another thread, there are generational families in Arizona-Arizona once was mexican territory.

Also, there is a large percentage of native americans. This law, it seems, allows police to pull over brown people. It's total shite. I'm boycotting.

[EFerrari]

53. I took my boys to Spring Training one year

and loved that, loved the topography, loved the NA art, loved the NA museum that must be the best in the country -- and was totally creeped out at the vibe. One of my best friends lives in Phoenix and I don't know how he does it.

[branders seine]

40. What they are doing sucks, but, umm,

if it's "illegal immigration," doesn't that mean it's already criminalized?

[EFerrari]

48. No. That's administrative law, not criminal. n/t

[ThoughtCriminal]

41. Does this mean that suspected "illegals" can demand a trial?

before deportation. That'll cost.

[salguine]

43. if it's illegal, doesn't that make it already criminalized?

[EFerrari]

49. Nope. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. I ain't visiting Arizona

but this will end up in the Courts, mark my words.

[spanone]

51. once upon a time....

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

52. This is not legal.

Local, county, or state law enforcement does not have jurisdiction over immigration status. That is determined by Federal jurisdiction.

Will not fly.

Just as Texas can grant a valid divorce to a gay couple married in Massachusetts. Full faith and credit clause covers that one.

Yes, I am a lawyer but I don't play one on TV. :D