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Arizona's New Immigration Law Is Long Overdue

By Jobo Smith

Arizona passed a landmark bill on Friday making it illegal to be in the state of Arizona if you are not a legal US citizen. It gives the police the right to question your immigration status if there is valid reason to believe you are here illegally. Already Al Sharpton and the other race baiter crew are in full effect saying the law is racist, and even the US government is out saying that the law is "misguided".

The law mirrors existing United States laws that are already on the books, yet are not in any way enforced. I guess Washington views laws as just a set of guidelines that can be followed or ignored when it is convenient to them. It sure gives good sound-bites to the media when the use them as guidelines. I think every state should adopt a similar law - just take existing US immigration laws and mirror them in the state but actually enforce them. An amazing thing might happen, the immigration problem might actually go away.

The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, but the vast majority of them came over and immigrated legally. They also were required to be self sufficient and be screened for communicable diseases. It was regular policy to reject people who would be a direct, immediate burden on the existing citizens. We need to return to these roots - and plenty of people from Central and South America will be able to become US citizens. Somehow over the years we abandoned this and just let people pour over the boarder without regard to the impacts, both cultural and financial.

One aspect of the recent health care bill has been "overlooked" because no one wanted to take the time to slow down and actually read the bill. Buried deep in the bill is a new law that changes a long existing law on the books. There used to be a five year waiting period for people to get access to public funds such as Medicare and welfare. You had to be self sufficient and show that you can pay your own way for 5 years before you were eligible for programs. Thanks to the new bill, this has been repealed and now everyone, legal or illegal, is able to get free healthcare from day 1. What do you think this is going to do to the immigration problem?

One of the biggest opponents over the years to immigration reform has been big business. While they would never publicly say they love illegal immigrants, they do provide an underground economy of workers who will work for far cheaper than they should. This gives them higher profits. I am sure if more states enact legislation, the first thing that will be brought up is "the price of food will go up, the price of clothing will go up etc", we need to stop this. You know what? - too bad. I do not like paying more for stuff, but we also should not have abnormally low prices subsidized by workers who are here illegally and will work for below minimum wage.

While stuff we purchase is cheaper because of the immigration issue, many, many other things are far more expensive. Healthcare, as hospitals have to absorb the costs of people who cannot pay. Taxes are higher to pay for social services. Road maintenance costs for cities are higher, as 10-15 million + additional users are on the roads, either by public transport or automobile. Gasoline costs are the same, indirectly influenced by additional demand. Rental rates are higher, as there is a large population who takes up excess capacity at the low end.

You would think it would be fairly simple to get rid of the problem, yet no politician will tackle it or take on the hard questions. This is because they are all worried about keeping their jobs rather than doing their jobs. After all, they do not even check legal status when its time to vote. That is a lot of voting power to grab, especially if you can somehow grant amnesty. Way to tempting for both Republicans and Democrats to ignore.

If the federal government simply had a central database of all the social security numbers and visas, along with legal name associated with that number which had to be checked before hiring someone, that would be a huge leap forward. With the power of computers today you would think that is super simple, yet it eludes the government. A simple web based tool with secure access that allows you to check within seconds if a potential employee is a citizen or has been granted temporary status to reside in the U.S.. The same could be done for landlords, check to make sure the person is a legal citizen or has a temporary visa to be here before renting - either way it should be easy. We have a central database for everyones credit, that is checked all the time and there are no issues - and its immediate. This is much simpler, yet I do not understand why we cannot implement it.

Enforcing our immigration laws is not racist or racial profiling. You are either a citizen or not. The majority of people here illegally are from Mexico, Central and South America. Are there other areas too, of course. Some statistics: "According to a Pew Hispanic Center report, in 2005, 57% of illegal immigrants were from Mexico; 24% were from other Latin American countries, primarily from Central America" - that is over 80% that are Hispanic. So does it make sense that when enforcing immigration laws you would have a slight bias of investigating Hispanics as more likely to be violating, or is that racist? If a bank was robbed, according to eye witnesses, by a 25 year old black male, the police would be looking for a 25 year old black male. Not a black female, not a middle aged Hispanic man, not a 60 year old overweight white female. Is that racial profiling?

Contributor's Note

I am by no means against immigration. The US has been built on immigration and the American Dream - this should continue, but in a legal fashion.

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If what you say is true about illegals being able to get health care from day one, Jobo, we have a problem. We have people who are citizens who have lost their job and their insurance in these tough times.
What's wrong with that picture?
Let's take the insurance from our congress members and use that money to support health care.
Best wishes.
Frederick

frederick Apr 26, 2010 20:18

Although I agree with the sentiment behind this law. I think there are going to be serious problems regarding its implementation. This is a series of lawsuits waiting to happen. You can't have a law that's going to constantly tie you up in the courts. You need a law that can be enforced, and which won't inflame legitimate citizens. This is an emotional powder keg. Good luck. I hope it works.

Agree, but unfortunately these days, almost anything you try to implement that would make meaningful changes, whether on a local or federal level, ends up in courts. The side who loses always ends up filing lawsuit after lawsuit.

All the government needs to do is to enforce the existing laws on books - thats it. Unfortunately, politicians lack any ability to do that for fear of 1) being labeled racist and 2) getting re-elected.

Ha ha, yep - we are pretty much the only modern country in the world with little to no immigration or boarder control. Break the law and win the lottery. I don't blame the people for coming here, after all the rules are set to really benefit them versus where they are living now.

As an ex-resident alien with green(blue) card I have to compare this with illegal status.
As a reasonably well educated (degree in IT) chap from the old country I was treated worse than the Arizona example.
It cost my wife and I $4000 dollars each to have a Libyan lawyer from Detroit, MI negotiate us through the minefield of regulations until at last came the day when we picked up the resident-alien card and were not constrained from moving to other jobs if required.
For my wife that meant she was able to rise to a position and salary commensurate with her degree (MBA Business Science).
I was happy at Kelloggs, Battle Creek, MI and worked there for 4 more years, did some consultancy all over the States and then came back and did some more consultancy for Kelloggs.
My resident alien card was only valid 5 years before having to be renewed, and you could not leave the country for more than 6 months without losing the privilidges.
Now I am a white middle-class white collar worker, so where in all this Arizona proposal would I stand?
Just before I left the States for the last time, I asked the INS how I could retire to the USA. They said maybe if I had $250,000 in savings and a pension I might be able to stay, but the blue card that started all this off would be torn up and I would have to start over.
So now we are back in the UK, soon to settle in France as seniot citizens, and wondering how we ended up being treated like criminals by the INS.
Every American we encountered, whether it be colleague, friend or acquaintance treated us as Americans with a "Cute" accent and the occasional "Your not from round here are ya"
God Bless America....Just check out the people that represent you at the borders, some of them are ferocious and occasionally somebody slips their leash! :)

I think your issue was you tried to actually obey the laws and get punished. You should have just come over the boarder illegally like others and then you would be greeted with open arms and have people fight to keep you here.

I am sure, as a law abiding citizen of the UK, I tried to equate to the MI and FL and WA rules of entering the USA.
In the case of Detroit I was treated like our Immigration would not treat us.
In WA they sent for my Surgeon uncle and have him collect me from Seattle, making him drive all the way from Portland, OR, and have him vouch for me.
In Miami, FL I was put through similar problems, which any Cuban would be let to sail through with no bother.

Our Border Control here in the UK is getting pretty gung ho,
If an illegal is detected on a truck in France waiting to cross using the Tunnel or Ferry, they are processed, released to the French Police who in turn put them back on the streets.
If the same occurs at a UK port or place of employment the offenders are treated politely. If they have a passport they are sent on the next flight home. If they do not have a passport, then they cannot be returned home and just have to report weekly to an immigration centre.
Meantime they are fed and boarded along with any family members. They seldom report to the centre again and are absorbed into the community to take undeserved benefits.

Their employers, meanwhile, have to pay a hefty fine of a minimum of £50,000. The employers are usually Indian or Chinese Restaurant owners, reflecting the immigrant's nationality.
British people mostly want them all out - end of.

Flag Diesel Parts Apr 27, 2010 12:58

Is it possible that the lawsuits for the constitutionally of mandated health care insurance and the new immigration law be in the courts at the same time just in time for the November midterm elections? Who needs soap operas?

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