I think this is the the hot discussion point for the law. What quantifies reasonable suspicion? If I felt that this law targeted my ethnic group in a state that I lived in I'd be pissed.

When meeting various people across the nation at conventions and conferences I already get agitated when a person asks "Where are you from?". I interpret the question to mean "Where do you live or where did you grow up?". My answer is something along the lines of East Bay Area or Northern California. The follow up answer is similar to "No, but I mean where are you from? Where were you born?" I tell them Walnut Creek even though I don't expect them to know where that is. The follow up questions continue with my parents' background and my grand parents' background. The answers are always California or SF Bay Area. Apparently its hard to believe that someone who looks Asian has origins in this country. The other two comments that get me going are "You speak English really well." or "So what are you?"

Racial profiling is already a pain in my ***. I couldn't handle it if law enforcement asked me to prove my immigration status on a regular basis. If I don't want to have to deal with being the target of this kind of thing, why should legal immigrants or those who happen to fit the profile? The spirit of the law has merit but the implementation is garbage.

 

what if they made the law that everybody had to carry documents at all times, to prove that they were legal in this country, it would be a total different story. alot of the people that are all for this law, would sit back and see how lame it really is. it all come down to race, i bet if all these european people started "kidnapping people" and "bringin drugs over" there would never be a law that made all the "white in color" people would have to carry documents to prove their status in this country! it would never happen!

 

the U.S doesn't need illegal immigrants it needs the illegal citizens to become legal. WW2 immigration policy and present policy isn't a good comparison. Since the world economy and the social programs in the U.S were totally different. But it might become an issue in CA if its helps in AZ since a lot of the people who cross the boarder in AZ will then just come straight to CA and NM to avoid the AZ laws. But the economy is not down because of illegal immigrants, its just not helping since they are costing additional money, money we don't and money U.S citizens shouldn't have to pay for an illegal immigrant to benefit from programs many citizens can not receive.

 

Exactly! Who the hell wants to be stopped 5-6 times a day and asked for legal documentation? I would file a law suit for racial profiling, harassment and also just a complete waste of my time. If I got stuff to do, and these idiots implemented a law, such as the Arizona law, and I'm constantly being questioned, I'd be pissed. Now you can go on and say you wouldn't mind, but when it comes down to it, I'm sure you would think it is not such a great idea. I'm Mexican, I look Mexican, and if I visit Arizona, I wanna enjoy my stay, not have to deal with these idiot cops pulling me over constantly for "looking" Mexican.

Like I said, if an illegal immigrant commits some sort of felony, or serious misdemeanor, then yeah, send them back. They deserve to be sent back anyway.

 

most people carry documents proving their citizenship everyday as it is now..... state ID, drivers license etc...

Also, i don't the AZ cops are going be asking every random Hispanic person they see for information, its not practical and can not be done, but if they see you running out of the desert they would probably stop you.

 

Right, so why don't they have an open announcement to help these people become legal citizens? If it's so easy, then they should publicly announce it and give them a fair window of opportunity to do so before they are sent back, right? You go on and on about illegal citizens needing to become legal, then why don't they provide a large scale citizenship campaign? It would provide jobs, help the illegal immigrants learn the countries history, good and bad, and "fix" the unnecessary costs. Then, all the U.S. would have to do is get rid of the lazy people abusing the unemployment and welfare checks.

 

right ruehl, and im sure there isnt a single white colored with person rollin around without a licence or id. its nice that you say that, how would you like to be stopped multiple time a week just to see if youre carry (legal documentation) drivers license, id, as you put it, it would be plain retarded.

 

Who they ask for information will be entirely at their discretion and what's to prevent an officer from repeatedly exercising poor judgment. There is no quantifiable grounds for this law.

 

i donno why they don;t try to do that but i know if that did that a lot of people would not apply for it since they would know if they failed they would be deported.

Most does not mean every single person.

They are not going stop people all the time just to check a person citizenship status they might do random checkpoints. I find it funny how you guys think they are going be checking people all the time. Think of all the laws people break every day that are not enforced in a extremely strict manner but are enforced when other laws are broken. I'm pretty sure it will be enforced like that.

 

ridiculous.

 

You can say the same thing about most laws on the books. An officer can make poor judgment time and time again with speeding tickets, stop signs stops, who they think is drunk etc.

Everyone complaining about this law is looking at how the law "could" be used in the most extreme manner and not the practical way it will be used in. But if you look at the majority of the laws we have the majority can be used in extreme manners that are ridiculous.

 

Right, but say there is a checkpoint and you are a citizen, but don't have legal documentation on you? Then you have to be held up for hours, possibly days to prove your citizenship. You get held by immigration and they go through the database to find out who you are and what have you. They are going to ask you questions upon questions. I understand it's not gonna be an everyday thing, but I can already smell the racial profiling and abuse of power by the cops.

 

But we aren't talking about a person rolling a stop sign, breaking speed limits, slurring words, having dilated pupils, or any sort of behavior or action. We're talking about stopping a person to ask for documentation simply based on the way a person looks.

In example: I look like I could be a Chinese immigrant. It's not uncommon for a person to ask where I'm from with the expectation that I was not born here. It's not a common occurrence but it isn't rare either and it's frustrating. Replacing "a person" with "police officer" and "where are you from?" with "can you verify your legal status in this country?" would be infuriating.

 

Right underneath the stated law, there are stipulations to cover such extracts. Such as it can't be just "no license, so now I believe you're an immigrant" Nope, there are such cases that is CLEARLY states in the law that there has to be 2 or more things of reasonable suspicion... and AGAIN

YOU HAVE to be doing something WRONG for them to target you in the first place. So as long as you're obeying the law, you will not be hassled with. There are plenty of immigrants who obey the law... but again, there are TONS that don't. Our prisons are over 1/3rd immigrant population. That is sucking money from us and every tax payer housing these guys who DONT EVEN BELONG IN OUR COUNTRY.

Before you run around saying "Hey you look brown, I want to see ID" They did cover their butts stating there needs to be a cause of the person doing something WRONG FIRST. They also need to have 2+ things that seem suspicious. These are the side writings.. kinda like covering the bases so they know they dont cross federal law.

 

Given that what you say is true, and the law enforcers of Arizona don't abuse their power, which I'm sure they will find a way to do so, then that is fine. I don't argue that people who are here illegally and committing serious crimes should be sent back, but it's not gonna flow as optimistically as people are assuming. It's gonna be a bit more of a hassle for people on a daily basis, and the cops/law enforcement agencies WILL use poor judgement or find any small and extremely minor reason to pull someone over. ie: Not using turn signal, not using crosswalk, arguably speeding, etc. etc.