I can’t help but to do my second to last blog of the semester geared towards the new law that has been passed in Arizona. Yes, I am Hispanic and the law outrages me. I’m not even in Arizona. But after reading through my suggested sources and literally looking for the stories about this law I am appreciative to see that there are some political figures that are just as outraged by it.
One article that I appreciated reading the most was one I found on the CNN website under politics titled Napolitano calls Arizona immigration law a ‘cry of frustration’. Not only did I read the article I appreciated all of the peoples comments below it that fueled my argument. I think it especially stuck out from all the other articles because Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano not only finds the law racially profiling, but makes a good point by saying that it now pushes Arizona police officers to be more geared towards putting this new law into effect than on other higher priority crimes. I was also pleased to see there was harsh rejection from Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico in passing the law, and Democratic Luis Gutierrez was arrested for protesting outside the white house.
I think what truly bothered me when I first heard about this is that probably Hispanics like myself who have never even stepped on Mexican land are being pulled over because they look Hispanic. My first reaction is that this is racial profiling. I don’t have legal papers I was born in Kansas, and yes I speak Spanish but I don’t consider it my first language!! What happens if I forget my wallet and get pulled over and have nothing? Are they going to ship me away???!!! Is this going to spread all the way here to Texas? This is awful!! There has to be a better way on cracking down on immigration.
Reading the comments below this article I came across one that the individual’s opinion towards the law was as if this is the way it needs to be, and tried to explain their opinion by comparing our country to a crowed elevator if we just keep letting immigrants come across the borders. They even stated that if these immigrants were forced to work for free (in reference to jobs now mainly performed by Hispanics) they would stop trying to cross it. I couldn’t believe I was reading this. Then who would do these jobs??? Him I hope!! But reading his comment brought to mind that the first people who came to this country that brought about the establishment of our government migrated here for freedom of religion and rights. Also in other words we are all generations of generations of our passed family that migrated here either from across the border or across the Atlantic and where ever else. I don’t think we should be prejudice about or towards immigrants. Everyone wants better for themselves.
I am not saying I am against immigration reform but I think there has to be a better way to go about it than passing laws like this one that make Hispanics like my self feel stereotyped. I sometimes feel in certain situations like I’m treated like I’m the immigrant when I’m not nor are the millions of Hispanics that feel the same way I do and that have received the same treatment.
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After reading all blogs by my classmates about the Arizona immigration law, the post that stuck out the most to me was the blog by Ms. Political entitled, “Napolitano calls Arizona immigration law a ‘cry of frustration’”. I can see why Arizona is frustrated about their immigration situation, but I agree that they are going way over board with their new law. Why not hold the people that are doing the hiring of illegal aliens accountable? Why can’t we stop employers from hiring illegal aliens to begin with? Oh yeah, they are one of special interest groups we learned about in our Government class.
If you stop the work then you stop the migration of illegal aliens for it. There are many workers in the U.S. that are here legally. Many of them are skilled craftsmen and have been apprentices for many years. If other states follow suit with Arizona it will scare many skilled workers that are here legally. They don’t want to be harassed anymore than I do. I think that part of the problem is that many people see workers over here working and assume that they are probably illegal when they are in fact legal. There is no law as to what they should be paid; they are typically paid a lot less than a white worker doing the same work.
Something needs to be done. Our workforce is suffering because our young workforce has gotten too technologically savvy to want to spend hours doing the same thing day after day just to make enough to feed their family. Many people who are legal immigrants have waited their whole lives for a chance to come to the U.S. I think the problem is that many of them are here and they are legal and they will work for less pay. I am not of the opinion, as many people are, that these illegal aliens are going to steal our jobs. I think a wrong is being committed but not at the cost of our civil liberties. The immigration issue does concern many but the many that are concerned are likely ones who wouldn’t do that same job if their life depended on it.
On Monday, May 3, 2010 Francella aka Ms. Political wrote the blog article entitled
Napolitano calls Arizona immigration law a ‘cry of frustration’. After reading her blog entry I would have to disagree with her position on the topic and the foundation of her blog entry itself.
Francella wrote the subjective question “....what happens if I forget my wallet and get pulled over and have nothing? Are they going to ship me away?” With that statement I realized Francella had not taken the time to actually read the new law she was arguing against. Her article is based upon her reaction to the subjective views others have posed and not one she had gained herself. Within the law, if she had read it, gave her the answer which stated “......a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person. Any person who is arrested shall have the person’s immigration status determined before the person is released. The person’s immigration status shall be verified with the federal government pursuant to 8 united states code section 1373(c).” At that point, after all attempts by the state to clear you you would be turned over to federal authorities for processing. The law points out the different forms of legal identification pieces that are legal and what will transpire of none are present. It is no different then what currently is going on.
Francella wrote that “......hispanics like myself who have never even stepped on Mexican land are being pulled over because they look hispanic.” This law is not even in effect so what cause would officers have to pull individuals over for immigration status right now? The new law even states “A PEACE OFFICER MAY LAWFULLY STOP ANY PERSON WHO IS OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE IF THE OFFICER HAS REASONABLE SUSPICION TO BELIEVE THE PERSON IS IN VIOLATION OF ANY CIVIL TRAFFIC LAW AND THIS SECTION.” For someone to be pulled over they have to be in violation of a civil traffic law or other probable suspicious activity. Recently when I was at the side of the roadway dealing with car issues a police officer stopped to assist. During the course of assistance he requested registration and a drivers license. This I did freely. As a citizen choosing to live under a ruling government it is an agreement that under natural law I extend some of my civil rights and liberties to enable the executive power above protect the others. This officer was doing his duty and being cautious. It happens everyday to everybody. Why the sudden outpouring if it only happening to hispanics in Arizona. Why does it suddenly gain the title of racial profiling?
My issue is that she raises the issue of the law recently passed in Arizona dealing with the crime of illegal immigration but then mixes up a crime with the process of legal immigration. She wrote “There has to be a better way of cracking down on immigration reform.” This law is dealing with a felony under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien.” It has nothing to do with the process of immigration or its reform, both of which are legal processes in the United States. It is addressing the issue of a criminal act and an enforcement of a law that is already in place set by the federal government.
The author is right that this nation is a nation built upon generations of immigrants. My family, including myself, are immigrants but we are legal immigrants. We processed through the system, we paid our fees, we did what was necessary. Why do we have to abide by the system while others do not? This law is dealing with a crime that is not being addressed, not immigration itself. If Arizona does not enforce a law then it makes passing and creation of laws mute. If you are lax on one law then you become lax on all
The author repeatedly refereed to racial profiling. You cannot but help that statistics are against an individual group. If a teenage boy is pulled over and get a ticket where are the shouts of age discrimination? Statistically speaking, young males between 18-25 are involved in 21% of all fatal accidents which were caused by wreck-less driving and speeding prior. You cannot help but the fact that right now a large percentage of people that will be caught by this new law will be hispanic due to the fact that right now statistically speaking a large majority of those that are illegal are of hispanic in nature or the fact that in the area that this law takes affect a large percentage of the population is hispanic.
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