Attorney In Immigration
Posts tagged Obama
What’s in Arizona’s New Immigration Law?
By Brandon D. Buttars
Aug 22nd
Almost everyone has heard about Arizona’s new illegal immigration law. But amidst all the rumors, opinions, fears, opposition, and support of Senate Bill 1070, it can be hard to understand what the bill actually says and what it will mean to residents, visitors, and employers in Arizona, and even the rest of the country. As things in the U.S. change and new issues arise, laws and policies also change, also shifting the criminal justice industry.
The Arizona immigration bill, signed on April 23, 2010 by Governor Jan Brewer, aims to decrease the number of illegal immigrants in the United States. As stated in SB 1070: “The provisions of this act are intended to work together to discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States.”
In essence, the bill does not make it against the law to be an illegal alien in the U.S., it merely _enforces and supports laws already in place that prevent illegal immigration_. Proponents of the bill argue that federal laws do not do enough to meet the illegal immigration problems facing the U.S. However, some fear the bill will lead to racial profiling and question how it will be fairly enforced.
President Obama stated the bill has the potential “to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.” Some believe the law could do more harm than good and some even deem the law unconstitutional.
However, Governor Brewer defended her state’s action and assured people that racial profiling would not be accepted, stating “We have to trust our law enforcement.” She also defended the constitutionalism of the bill: “Arizona’s immigration enforcement laws are both reasonable and constitutional.”
So what does the bill actually do? In essence, it allows law enforcement officials to “determine the immigration status of the person” during any kind of detention, stop, or arrest if there is “reasonable suspicion” that the person is an illegal alien. It also states that “Any person who is arrested shall have the person’s immigration status determined before the person is released.”
To prevent racism and bias actions, the bill clearly states that officers can not use only “race, color or national origin” when deciding to seek immigration status. In order to prove that a person is not an illegal alien, they must provide a valid Arizona driver license, a valid Arizona nonoperating identification license, a valid tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification, or another proof of legal presence as outlined in the law.
Among other things, the law also makes it illegal to:
- Willfully fail to complete or carry an alien registration document
- Smuggle illegal immigrants into the country for monetary gain or commercial purposes
- Transport, move, harbor, conceal, or shield unlawful aliens
- Knowingly employ an illegal alien
Senate Bill 1070 also states that if an illegal immigrant breaks a law, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the United States and Customs Border Protection will be notified and that law enforcement officials can transport an individual to a federal facility if they are found to be an illegal alien.
Criminal justice is an interesting field that continues to change on a regular basis as new laws are passed and as the issues facing America change. Careers in criminal justice are an excellent way to help protect people, communities, and even countries. People in this field have honorable jobs that allow them to use their skills to complete often heroic tasks.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Whats-in-Arizonas-New-Immigration-Law?&id=4544411
Illegal Immigrants Pros and Cons – What You Should Know
By Bruce L. Mauriello
Aug 12th
In light of the recently enacted Arizona law on immigration, interest on the topic of illegal immigration has once again brought forth various sentiments from proponents of both sides of the issues. The new law is by far the most stringent law ever passed requiring immigrants to carry with them their proper registration documents at all times. The law is heavily criticized because it is said to promote discrimination and harassment. Even President Obama is not too keen on the idea of putting immigrants behind bars just because they do not carry immigration documents. To state the obvious, it is considered a crime if an immigrant fails to present documents to police if they are suspected of being illegal aliens.
“This new Arizona law poses a threat to the Hispanic communities as they are known to have the largest number of illegal migrants in the country.”
With the very divisive nature of the law, it becomes necessary for people to be educated on the immigrants pros and cons. This way, racial discrimination is prevented and further laws should be focused on resolving the issue and not perpetrate hostilities towards the minorities, specifically those that illegally entered the US from Mexico.
“In any debate, the positive and negative sides of the issues are laid out, each of them has its own merits, but with varying levels of importance and their immediate effects to the general public. It is important to have knowledge of immigrants pros and cons so that we are not easily swayed by racist overtures of staunch supporters of anti illegal immigration laws.”
It is acknowledged that since illegal immigrants have committed a crime and should be sent back to their home country. However, the reality is that the American government cannot easily get rid of them. Although it is said that they use up taxpayers money when they use tax-based resources, it would be so shortsighted to think that there’s no benefit from illegal immigrants. Perhaps the often overlooked benefit that these immigrants contribute is in the spending aspect. In the states near the US-Mexico border alone, the number of Hispanic illegal immigrants is said to be about 60% of the estimated total number of immigrants. This translates to millions of immigrants buying goods and services that add up to the consumption, which in turn drives up the economic activities in these states. If this persists, then businesses will expand, which in turn would lead to more job opportunities.
“On the other side of the coin, these illegal immigrants are perceived as threats to the American working class because the former are willing to work with lower wages.”
There is a long list of illegal immigrants pros and cons and proponents of each side would normally focus on those that would appeal to the emotions of their target audience. What needs to be done here is to weigh the pros and cons and see which one outweighs the other. It would seem that from an economic viewpoint, the benefits outweigh the costs, but the overall effects are not readily felt nor are widely accepted because there are other factors involved. This is why lawmakers are hard-pressed to come up with immigration laws that do not encourage discrimination, but instead promote fairness and transparency.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Illegal-Immigrants-Pros-and-Cons—What-You-Should-Know&id=4573361
