As I became more involved in writing about the corrupt and idiotic IPCC science, and its favored global warming, alarmist profiteers (Gore et al), I realized that I was paying less attention to other important issues as a result. One recent hot-button issue was the new immigration law that Arizona passed, which I had previously relied on the knee-jerk MSM claims, knowing what they claimed was probably opposite of the truth.
My superficial attention span on immigration changed when the Obama administration decided to apologize to the Chinese for the new Arizona law - it was a definitive WTF moment. Apologizing to one of the most repressive regimes on the face of the earth, besides China being the largest environmental polluter/destroyer ever conceived, was just too much. It was time to do some fact checking about the Arizona immigration law. Below is a synopsis of some fact gathering:
Why did Arizona feel a need to pass this legislation?
1. Illegal immigration across the Arizona border has always been a problem. Presently there are an estimated 600,000 illegals in the state.
2. The flow across the Arizona border has increased due to the California/Mexico border being closed down with the building of the anti-illegals security fence.
3. A wide range of civic maladies have resulted (increased), including drug-related kidnappings, tortures, and murders of illegals by illegals (Phoenix is now a very violent metropolitan area based on the U.S. crime rankings). 44% of Phoenix area fraud/forgery is done by illegals. It is estimated that at least 10% of the illegals are felons.
4. Illegals crowd Arizona hospital emergency rooms and local public schools, straining the resources and lessening the quality of services provided to native born taxpayers and to those immigrants in-state legally.
5. Arizona citizens had no effective legislation to deal with the illegal immigration problem that is causing a broad quality-of-life crisis in their state.
6. The U.S. government abdicated its responsibility to effectively secure its borders, including those of the state of Arizona shared with Mexico.
What does the new Arizona immigration law (SB 1070) really allow?
1. The Arizona law mirrors the U.S. federal law. It is federal offense to be in the United States illegally. The new Arizona law conforms to the U.S. law.
2. The Arizona law stipulates: The terms of [SB1070] regarding immigration shall be construed to have the meanings given to them under federal immigration law.
3. The Arizona law stipulates: This act shall be implemented in a manner consistent with federal laws regulating immigration, protecting the civil rights of all persons and respecting the privileges and immunities of United States citizens.
4. The Arizona law requires aliens to carry their immigration papers, which is the same as the federal law requires, per the 1952 federal law: "Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him."
5. The Arizona law does not allow law enforcement to stop anyone who appears to be an illegal immigrant.
6. The Arizona law does not empower police officers to stop anyone they choose and demand to see papers. The law actually prohibits racial profiling in four different sections of the law.
7. The Arizona law does not allow fishing expeditions for illegal aliens.
8. The Arizona law does allow the officer to determine someone's immigration status only after the officer has made an a lawful stop, detention or arrest that is based on a non-immigration violation (e.g., speeding, assault, shoplifting, etc.), and the officer has reasonable suspicion that subject is an illegal alien.
9. The Arizona law is in accordance with national legal precedent that allows local and state police to make immigration arrests.
10. The federal government presently (already) trains local law enforcement officials, such as those in Arizona, in relevant aspects of immigration law and actually deputizes them to act as full-fledged law enforcement officials.
11. The vast majority (over 98% - ?) of industrialized and developing nations have more restrictive immigration laws than Arizona's new legislation.
What about Mexico's immigration law and treatment of immigrants?
1. Mexico's law requires local police to check identification, and Mexican police often engage in racial profiling and harassment, immigration activists told USA Today.
2. In the United States, "they'll deport you," Hector Vazquez, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, told USA Today at a migrant camp in Tultitlan, Mexico. "In Mexico they'll probably let you go, but they'll beat you up and steal everything you've got first."
3. A National Human Rights Commission report indicates that, from September 2008 through February 2009, at least 9,758 migrants were kidnapped for ransom in Mexico, with 91 incidents involving direct participation by Mexican police, USA Today reported. The commission said other migrants are routinely stopped and strong-armed for bribes.
And, what about the illegal immigration legislation that Massachusetts passed?
1. It bars the state from doing business with any company found to break federal laws barring illegal immigrant hiring.
2. It toughens penalties for creating or using fake identification documents, and explicitly deny in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants.
3. It would also require the state's public health insurance program to verify residency through the Department of Homeland Security, and would require the state to give legal residents priority for subsidized housing.
And, what about the illegal immigration legislation that Missouri passed?
1. No municipality shall enact or adopt any sanctuary [illegal immigration protection] policy.
2. No alien unlawfully present in the United States shall receive any state or local public benefit...
3. In addition to providing proof of other eligibility requirements, at the time of application for any state or local public benefit, an applicant who is eighteen years of age or older shall provide affirmative proof that the applicant is a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States or is lawfully present in the United States.
4. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly transport, move, or attempt to transport in the state of Missouri any illegal alien who is not lawfully present in the United States.
5. All law enforcement officers shall inquire into the citizenship and immigration status of any person under arrest for a violation of any state law or municipal ordinance, regardless of the person's national origin, ethnicity, or race.
6. ...the law enforcement agent shall verify with the federal government whether the alien is lawfully or unlawfully present in the United States...
7. If the alien is verified to be unlawfully present in the United States, the law enforcement officer shall cooperate with any request by federal immigration authorities to detain the alien or transfer the alien to the custody of the federal government.
Conclusion: The Arizona immigration law totally conforms to existing federal U.S. law. The federal government has failed to carry out its mandated constitutional responsibility of securing the nation's border. Arizona chose to act because the federal government has been incapable of stopping the misery and violence that is continuously crossing into Arizona from a failed, corrupt, miserable, third-world country. Arizona is enacting, and potentially enforcing, rational and fair-minded legislation to protect its citizens and their property. The new Arizona legislation is less immigration-repressive than almost all other nations.
Mexico is an awful, third rate country with beautiful beaches and a warm climate. Despite the beautiful tourist areas, most Mexicans would rather live in the U.S., which is not a surprise - Mexicans are smart and they literally vote with their feet to leave the cesspool. Then there are others crossing the border for other reasons.
And Massachusetts, home of left-liberal doctrine regarding U.S. immigration policies? It would appear this Democrat controlled state is trying to control its illegal immigrants problem. And what about Missouri anti-illegal immigration laws?
Read here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here for more information about this issue.