Papers Please
The "papers please" provision of our fair State's SB1070 bill has been upheld by the Supreme Court.
The part of the law the justices upheld requires police officers stopping someone to make efforts to verify the person's immigration status with the federal government.
Exactly how law enforcement are going to decide when to ask about a person's immigration status is obviously the big question being asked. Assurances that racial profiling will not be used were given yesterday at a number of press conferences.
I guess time will tell.
But I can assure you of one thing, I will not be happy if my wife is ever asked about her immigration status if she's ever pulled over for speeding.
Figures they uphold one of the most repugnant parts of the bill, doesn't it?
I don't see how racial profiling can be avoided in this case. If Florida had this law, it would be Haitians (and maybe Cubans, but maybe not) who would be the most likely candidates for being here illegaly. The cops are not going to ask everyone for proof of citzenship...
Yeah it's funny that they claim that racial profiling will not be used but how else could they possibly know to ask for your status otherwise? I read an article yesterday on how the Phoenix police say they've "been trained" on the issue but yet never say what that training consisted of.
Your wife? I'm more concerned about YOU! Where are YOUR papers?!?
Ugh. Even attempts to joke around this repugnant, anti-American, anti-human law sicken me to my very core. It's getting to be that I don't even recognize my own country any more.
Proponents of SB1070 ensure no racial profiling will be done. Yet, without missing a beat, they go into a general argument about the number of those that are here in AZ illegally and they dance around in an embarrassing explanation while trying to call brown people "brown people"
It sickens me that the guise they made this law under. And how the SCOTUS avoided the issue as well. Can people not realize they can be honest and not racist?
The only proper way to enforce this "papers please" bullshit law is to stop everyone and ask for their papers. No profiling. Just lots of government employees asking everyone no matter where they go for their papers.
Sad.
@megan, right, police are not going to ask everyone for proof. They're going to have to base it on something, it's that something that is raising the question.
@jake, exactly. The "trust us" portion of the explanation leaves a lot to be desired.
@dave, haha yeah it's a little sad that I'm the immigrant yet I won't be asked based on looks whereas my wife might. And that's the crux of the issue. The unknown element on how they'll decide to ask. And if I ever was asked, at least I have my permanent resident green card to show. What are citizens supposed to show?
@marty, yeah in AZ, when they talk about illegal immigrants they have one particular segment of the population in mind. And it isn't white people. I dunno, maybe this will all turn out ok, mayne people won't be asked based on the color of their skin. Like I say if my wife is asked and I'm there with her, I'm not going to be a happy bunny.