Reuters posted an article regarding Arizona’s new law addressing “Illegal Immigration” that warns Mexican citizens to use extreme caution when traveling to Arizona. One specific paragraph jumped out at me and I suspect, this paragraph (and the assumption) is what is keeping people from being totally disgusted with this new law. The Reuters article isn’t the only place I’ve seen it – it’s being repeated by news websites and stations all over the country.
And it’s wrong.
The law, decried by critics as discriminatory, will force immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times once it takes effect 90 days after Arizona’s current legislative session ends.
The above statement is incorrect – but it’s doing a lot to keep people from revolting – that’s for sure.
It should actually read:
The law, decried by critics as discriminatory, will force everyone in the State of Arizona to carry documents at all times to prove they are in the country legally once it takes effect 90 days after Arizona’s current legislative session ends.
How else will they decide who is and who isn’t here legally if they don’t ask for proof from everyone? The way the first interpretation of the law reads, one would think it’d be perfectly acceptable for someone who is not in the country legally to just say, “Hey, I’m a citizen, I don’t have alien registration documents” – but that’s not what’s going to happen at all – and I tire of reading the law interpreted that way.
The law goes on to stipulate, citizen or not, you could be fined a minimum of $500 plus spend six months in jail if you don’t have your documents with you.
So no, people, I’m sorry, the law does not say, “Go on US Citizen, live your life as you have for decades here in sunny Arizona – we only require NON-CITIZENS to carry their proof” what is says is, you better not be caught out in public without proof you’re a citizen or you’re going to jail and will be fined…
Oh – and if you’re from one of the several states which doesn’t require proof of residency/citizenship to obtain a state ID – I really don’t know what to tell you…other than you better be packing your state certified, raised seal, birth certificate with you at all times while you’re here – or you’re totally screwed.
Also, if you’re one of those, “Well, they won’t do that, that’s just stupid!” folks – then you just wait. Nebraska thought no one in their right mind would bring in their kids when they passed that Safe Haven trash last year – yet that’s exactly what happened and the guy who did it? The guy we all hated for following the law as it was written then hated even more after he got ANOTHER woman pregnant? He was well within his rights…because the law allowed it.
You can’t have a law like this and expect that it’s not going to get abused – this law does nothing more than give Arizona law enforcement the freedom to do harass both citizens and non-citizens alike.
Sounds a lot like Nazi Germany to me!
Also, if you think that the Mexican population is the only “brown skinned” group of folks who are protesting this bill, then you’re sadly mistaken.
Related posts:
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
What kills me is the idea that every day I drive home from the school with four children in my car. Two were born in the US, two were not. Though all are citizens. Three “Look” suspicous. My two neices were both born in a Navy Hospital in Washington State, in the good old USA, both of thier parents were born in the USA, their mother (my sister) in Atlanta, and thier Father in Texas. Now, because thier father’s grandparents came from Mexico, they “look” hispanic. So if I were in Arizona, would I need to carry copies of thier birth certificates around? Oh and my son took them home today, so he would need to carry copies too, as well as my husband who takes them places and of course thier parents. We would need a bunch of copies, or trust little kids to carry them around. Hmm, then there are my two, neither born here, but my daughter is blond, probably would not be stopped. My son born in the same part of the world as my daughter had Romany parents (gypsy) so he “looks” hispanic. So I would need to carry paperwork for him. Hmmm, not his birth certificate, since it’s not in English and says clearly he was born elsewhere. Hmm, we do have a certificate of citizenship, but the instructions that came with it say not to fold it (it’s big) and to keep it in a safe place cause they are a pain to replace. So the kid needs a passport. Most people don’t get thier kids passports unless they are leaving the country. I gotta get my kid one to go to the Grand Canyon. Getting one for my neices before they are 18 would require my sister and her ex in the same room. I can’t see that happening. OK so no Grand Canyon for us this summer.
Lorraine,
Thanks for your post – you’re right, it’s stupid. It’s confusing as well. The state right next door – New Mexico – does not require citizenship/residency to obtain a drivers license, so I don’t know how those folks will prove citizenship without carrying some other form of ID – most likely a birth certificate, since your Social Security card gives the same warnings as a CoC with regards to keeping it in a safe place.
I just don’t know – but it boils my blood.
This new law tramples all over the civil rights of citizens, in addition to putting a target on the backs of anyone who ‘looks’ illegal…citizen or not.