Controversy Erupts Over Arizona Immigration Bill

Arizona Senate Bill 1070, the Arizona immigration reform bill is causing quite a stir. Latino members of Congress are critical of the bill, alleging it makes racial profiling part of Arizona police policy. Arizona already spends over a billion dollars annually on immigration related expenses, almost sending the state running for .

SB 1070 the Arizona immigration bill

The Arizona immigration bill, SB 1070 has passed the Arizona House and is set to go the governors’ desk soon. According to the Christian Science Monitor, the bill would allow police to investigate the immigration status of individuals suspected of a crime. The bill would also make it a misdemeanor for immigrants to not have immigration paperwork on their person. Endorsers of the bill contend the state is stepping in where the federal government hasn’t, after record numbers of illegal immigrants and a rancher’s murder. Arizona at the moment spends a lot more than $ 1 billion a year because of illegal immigration and may be sprinting for extra cash soon if no solution is reached.

Latino Congressmen in opposition

CNN reports that several Latino members of Congress are calling for Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto the bill. Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva (D) has blasted the bill as discriminatory against a specific ethnic group. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) contends it also impedes federal immigration authority also. Isabel Garcia, an Arizona legal defender, contends the bill “legalizes racial profiling.”

Bill deemed totalitarian by Los Angeles Cardinal

Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of the LA Diocese, according to the LA Times, has called the laws contained within the bill as using “German Nazi and Russian communist techniques.” Bishop of the Tucson Diocese, Gerald Kicanas also protested the bill, and both are calling on Governor Brewer to veto the bill. Both call for a fairer policy on immigration, and on Mahony’s blog, Mahony contends the attitudes on illegal immigration as unrealistic and unfair.

Immigration reform has been an issue of great contention

Immigration legislation has a long history within the U.S. Asian immigrants were the topic within the 19th century (also in WWII) and Latin American immigrants are today’s cause du jour. Decades of legislation have unsuccessfully tried to stem immigration from Mexico. Harsher crackdowns have not appeared to work in the past, and maybe pragmatism rather than authoritarian solutions is needed.

Article Sources

Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/0415/Arizona-illegal-immigration-bill-draconian-or-common-sense

CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/20/arizona.immigration/

Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0420-mahony-immigration-20100420,,6923812.story

Cardinal Roger Mahony’s blog

http://cardinalrogermahonyblogsla.blogspot.com/