Arizona Immigration
Spencer Cermeno Arizona’s Immigration Laws and its Impact
Immigration in the United States is a divided issue. Since the formation of this country people have fought for their way of life and civil rights. Whether it was for life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness that the rebels fought the British for, or the marchers and protesters of the Civil Rights Movement that fought against the laws of segregation. Arizona’s immigration laws are an insult to America’s values, way of life, and civil rights. Those same values that allow us to be free, allow us to pursue happiness, and keep us from being persecuted become challenged when laws like SB 1070 are enacted. Arizona’s immigration law SB 1070 allows any law enforcement official to stop or arrest anyone that is under “reasonable suspicion” of being in the country illegally. Laws like this can have catastrophic impacts on people and the economy as a whole. People scared to even go out and have a meal at a restaurant because of the fear of being stopped by police to prove their status and small business owners losing their livelihood because of it. From civil rights to the economy everyone feels the brunt of this.
Two new laws were sanctioned by Arizona on April of 2010; these two laws were SB 1070 and HB 2162 (Morse). The new state requirements of these laws were associated with immigration enforcement laws that deal with crime and punishment (Morse). The SB 1070 and HB 2162 were to be enacted into law on July 29, 2010, before that a lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice arguing the law was unconstitutional (Morse). A hearing was held the day before the law was to be enacted and an injunction was requested based on the laws that allowed law enforcement to determine immigration status during any lawful stop, the requirement to carry alien registration documents, not able to apply for work, and warrantless arrests with probable cause (which would in turn make the person removable from the country)
Immigration in the United States is a divided issue. Since the formation of this country people have fought for their way of life and civil rights. Whether it was for life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness that the rebels fought the British for, or the marchers and protesters of the Civil Rights Movement that fought against the laws of segregation. Arizona’s immigration laws are an insult to America’s values, way of life, and civil rights. Those same values that allow us to be free, allow us to pursue happiness, and keep us from being persecuted become challenged when laws like SB 1070 are enacted. Arizona’s immigration law SB 1070 allows any law enforcement official to stop or arrest anyone that is under “reasonable suspicion” of being in the country illegally. Laws like this can have catastrophic impacts on people and the economy as a whole. People scared to even go out and have a meal at a restaurant because of the fear of being stopped by police to prove their status and small business owners losing their livelihood because of it. From civil rights to the economy everyone feels the brunt of this.
Two new laws were sanctioned by Arizona on April of 2010; these two laws were SB 1070 and HB 2162 (Morse). The new state requirements of these laws were associated with immigration enforcement laws that deal with crime and punishment (Morse). The SB 1070 and HB 2162 were to be enacted into law on July 29, 2010, before that a lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice arguing the law was unconstitutional (Morse). A hearing was held the day before the law was to be enacted and an injunction was requested based on the laws that allowed law enforcement to determine immigration status during any lawful stop, the requirement to carry alien registration documents, not able to apply for work, and warrantless arrests with probable cause (which would in turn make the person removable from the country)
Cited: Morse, Ann. "Analysis of Arizona 's immigration law." National Conference of State Legislatures (2011): n.pag. NCSL. Web. 18 Mar 2013. <http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/immig/analysis-of-arizonas-immigration-law.asp&xgt;. Hudson, David. "The Top 5 Reasons Why S.B. 1070—and Laws Like It—Cause Economic Harm." Center for American Progress. 25 06 2012: n. page. Web. Judd, Amy. "Arizona Immigration Law SB 1070: How is it Affecting Arizona.” Now Public. (2010): n. page. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. <http://www.nowpublic.com/world/arizona-immigration-law-sb-1070-how-it-affecting-arizona-2611375.html>.