Reasonable Suspicion

After reading A's Tuesday Rant regarding the hypocrisy of the illegal immigration movement, I found the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 that is garnering a lot of attention in the media and causing a vocal backlash from the Latino community.  I have somewhat mixed emotions about illegal immigration, but predominantly it is due to the white majority viewpoint.  


Almost every time illegal immigration enters the forefront of the American consciousness, it becomes synonymous with our southern border.  Never does the topic of illegal immigration through our western shores (Asians), our northern border (Canadians) and eastern shores (Europeans, Caribbeans and Africans) get mentioned.  No, illegal immigration is a Mexican albatross.  The fact being though, many who illegally immigrate through our southern border are not even Mexican, but Central or South American.  In essence, it is a "brown people" issue that white America has.


I understand that protecting our borders is important from a national security stance (i.e., preventing terrorist activities) and from a drug enforcement viewpoint, of which I am staunchly in favor of preventing cocaine, heroin, etc. from entering our country and ruining lives.  But I do not see the harm in people, hard working people, coming to America to earn a living for their families.


Family is the most important tangible connection we have in life.  For someone to break their backs doing labor that most American citizens would never contemplate doing is admirable to me.  It is humble.

Now some say that they are taking jobs, using resources, clogging hospitals, but the fact is most employers do garnish their wages for taxes.  Illegal immigrants do pay sales tax, gas tax, cigarette and alcohol tax.  They are paying taxes, in some form or fashion, and when those wages are garnished to remit to the IRS, almost none of it is returned to the employee for they do not file taxes, unless they are trying to obtain legal citizenship.  


We can't build a wall around this country.  It is not and should not be a part of the American psyche.  This country was built by immigrants through their own hard work, the shed blood of Native Americans and the sweat of African slaves.  I think it is high time the descendants of the original immigrants realize that America is not theirs, but it is OURS.  


The law in Arizona should be repealed or at least amended.  Check out a few of the parts I find extremely offensive:


Article 8 - Subparagraph B - FOR ANY LAWFUL CONTACT MADE BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR AGENCY OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE, WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON. THE PERSON'S IMMIGRATION STATUS SHALL BE VERIFIED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PURSUANT TO UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 1373(c).


Article 8 - Subparagraph E - A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WITHOUT A WARRANT, MAY ARREST A PERSON IF THE OFFICER HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON HAS COMMITTED ANY PUBLIC OFFENSE THAT MAKES THE PERSON REMOVABLE FROM THE UNITED STATES.


Section 4 - Subparagraph E - NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER LAW, 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.


Reasonable suspicion?  Without warrant?  Stop any person operating a motor vehicle if there is reasonable suspicion they are in violation of this section (i.e., SB 1070)?  


To me that screams put a yellow star on every Latino's lapel.