Kythas wrote:idrathernot wrote:Although I haven't read the new Arizona Immigration Law (hey I could be a Senator!), I can easily understand the concern of Mexican Americans that giving additional authority to law enforcement will inevitably result in abuses thereof. Once you give up a little bit of liberty it is often decades, if ever, that you regain it. (New and Improved PATRIOT Act has no sunset provisions under PresBO)
Question: Do ranchers along the border in Arizona enjoy the same protections of castle doctrine that we do?
I've never really heard of a rancher killing aliens, but I have heard of
illegals suing a rancher for holding them at gunpoint.
Since you haven't read it (I have, it's only 11 pages) I'll give you a quick summary.
1. The bill only creates one new crime - it makes it a state misdemeanor offense to physically be in the State of Arizona if you are in the United States illegally.
2. It requires law enforcement to verify immigration or citizenship status of
all persons arrested before they can be released from arrest (via bail or otherwise). Note this is ALL persons, not just brown people.
3. It allows local law enforcement to question you regarding your immigration status but ONLY if they are already in contact with you regarding another law enforcement matter. (So, no, they can't stop and harass you for getting ice cream unless you stole that ice cream)
4. It allows local law enforcement to NOT question you regarding your immigration status if they have reason to believe you're here illegally, at their discretion, if they believe questioning you on that matter will hinder their investigation of another crime.
5. Regarding the requirement that all legal aliens carry their green card with them at all times - that's already a Federal requirement. Nothing new there.
6. On Page 1 of the law, it outlines which documentation is sufficient to prove legal status. One of these documents is any State issued driver's license. Since we all have to carry our license with us when we drive, I see nothing new there, either.
For the people who say local law enforcement should not question people regarding immigration status, since immigration violations are a Federal matter, I say this: should local law enforcement not question people regarding bank robbery since bank robbery is a Federal matter? I see local police arresting bank robbers all the time. I don't see why immigration law should be any different.
