The new Arizona law allows state officials to inquire into the immigration status of any person based upon “reasonable suspicion”:
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.
Jan Brewer signed the Arizona Immigration Bill on April 23, and the bill is facing controversy as some say it will foster a culture of racial profiling and others say it is necessary to crack down on illegal immigrants in the United States.
The new law, which was signed by the Governor of Arizona on Friday, requires that all immigrants carry documentation verifying their immigration status. It also stipulates that police officers have the authority to ask to see the information from any individual that is deemed "suspicious" or when there is "reasonable suspicion" that the person may not be legally in the country.
It's a sham because the Republicans who drafted the bill, SB1070, know it does nothing to protect Arizona. They know it doesn't help secure the border. And they know it makes law enforcement's job even harder.
Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was worried about the rights of its citizens and relations with Arizona. Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles said the authorities' ability to demand documents was like "Nazism."
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