chrisfromusa

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...rs-signature/#

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,4677282.story

Finally one state that's gonna pick up the slack from the federal government soon

Ridski

And the moral of the story is, don't lose your Green Card in Phoenix.

lapin_windstar

it's easy to get re-elected if you can out-do the next man with how butch you are.

Mummy in the foothills

I wonder what happens to those USC's who look or speak like some of the illegal or legal immigrants, Do you have to prove you are an American? It sounds like a huge can of worms is being opened.

sir_eccles

Oh joy, this sort of thing makes me so angry.

I would much rather they spent the police time actively pursuing the alleged violent criminals and drug dealers rather than just harassing immigrants. My opinion is that the majority of illegal immigrants are hard working, keep to themselves and actually put a lot back into communities. You'd have to have your head in the sand not to realize how all those lovely lawns are kept trimmed and the fruit picked etc. Yes there are a small minority who cause trouble, but for those the existing laws against the crimes they actually commit are sufficient.

In reality, the majority of Phoenix is relatively crime free. I say this as someone who lived for a while in Brooklyn NY, a city equally a melting pot of immigrants where you can read about kids shooting each other on a regular basis.

Brit3964

This is how it starts. Welcome to the Police State and a "your papers please" society. Fortunately it's likely to be struck down as unconstitutional in Federal Court I hope.

Exactly. The ACLU will have a field day with this.

chrisfromusa

I thought crime in Phoenix was a pretty significant problem

Love how the ACLU is very hypocritical int hat they'll fight any law that'll secure our border as racist, we lose our freedom at the airport and waste time screening potential terrorists all because of political correctness. I hope this law passes, it'll start to break the shackles of political correctness

sir_eccles

Perhaps I should rephrase. It isn't non-existent but the perception is that crime is a huge problem caused by immigrants, mostly by Scottsdale ladies locking themselves up behind the false sense of security of gated communities whom then hand out the code to every Tom Dick and Harry. It has crime just like any other city, it certainly isn't the worst in that respect. My wife and I were scouting out neighborhoods and checking crime maps because her aunt who lives here (in a gated community) was freaking out that if we went south of that road we would be in a bad neighborhood. Most maps changed from "very low crime" to "low crime" on crossing those scary roads. Most seemed to be petty crime too.

A lot has to do with attitudes too. Would I have walked down a street in Brooklyn flashing my iPhone? No. Would I do that here? No. Don't make yourself an easy target, keep your wits about you, watch what you're doing.

chrisfromusa

I don't trust those gated communities, because those guards can even let through criminals through those gates, like they did in my grandmother's gated neighborhood in Puerto Rico I looked into it further after reading your first post, and though it seems that much of the kidnapping, for example, is centered on Mexicans living in Phoenix that are involved with drugs in some way or another, so.

Regarding crime in Brooklyn, yeah I believe ya there, few of my cousins live in Park Slope and that area looks a bit run down

sir_eccles

Yeah, and Park Slope is one of the nicer more gentrified areas.

Just remembered reading something the other day suggesting that these new anti immigrant laws will actually make cracking down on the illegal drug/kidnapping type activities harder, as witnesses may be reluctant to come forward if they know they might have their status questioned.

A I

Very interesting. I wonder how they plan to enforce this, as most US Citizens lack documentation that indicates that they are present in the US legally.

As such US Citizen, I do not carry a Passport or my Naturalization certificate around, and my driver's license looks no different than than of an overstayer... so HOW DO THEY KNOW ??? Even if you are in favor of this, you have to agree enforcement will be very dicey.

I find the desire to ID illegals and the total rejection of an ID card that identifies you as a legal citizen to be in total contradiction, but that is the underling desire of the public. No national ID, and find the illegals. (How to tell them apart is the question.)

Brit3964

This could well be the unintended consequences of an ill-thought out Bill. AZ could become a drug-smugglers delight all because they rushed to look like they are doing something about illegal immigrants and winning votes for themselves.

Brit3964

Apparently in AZ, they all carry a big sign around that says "I'm illegal" on their heads

sir_eccles

There is always the charge of "driving while black".

chrisfromusa

I totally overlooked that my opinion's changed now. I consider myself lucky I have my US passport but to people that don't? I don't see how this can be enforced without enacting the REAL ID Act that many states have passed nullification laws opposing it, Arizona being one that is considering passing such legislation (according to wikipedia). And I'm totally opposed to REAL ID