http://www.azcentral.com/...
The bill would take effect 90 days after the current legislative session ends if it becomes law.
http://www.azcentral.com/...
Tourism and economic-development officials worry about potential financial fallout from Arizona's landmark immigration bill, with several drawing parallels to the costly business backlash after the state's rescission of a paid holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. more than 20 years ago.
Yes Mr. Business man, Mr. Hotel owner, Mr. Restauranteer, you should be very worried.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/...
The bill gives local police the authority to stop anyone on "reasonable suspicion" that they are undocumented. It criminalizes undocumented status by making not having papers a misdemeanor. (Up until now, entering the country without permission was actually a civil matter, not a criminal one.) The new law prohibits cities from becoming sanctuary zones for immigrants. And it provides for citizens to sue cities that they believe are not sufficiently enforcing immigration laws.
Let's see now, I live in Arizona, where the heck did I leave my citizenship paper? Oh ya, that's right, I'm blonde and have blue eyes so just maybe I won't have to sneak to the grocery store in the dead of night.
Nor is it surprising that politicians would scapegoat Mexican immigrants for the nation's economic and social problems. We have a long history of that in this country. What is astounding, however, is that supporters of this bill would be willing to sacrifice human rights for votes.
Who will be stopped by police officers on "reasonable suspicion"? Latinos, both U.S.-born and immigrant, will be singled out.
Read here http://www.azcentral.com/... about a woman named Eleanor. Her father fought in World
War I, 2 brothers in World War II, a nephew was a Green Beret in Viet Nam, another nephew fought in Desert Storm and the Iraq war. But now, she has to worry about being about the suspicion that is being raised toward all Hispanics, not just "illegals".
It will do nothing more than fuel the fire of hatred and fear in this country against immigrants and brown people.
It is a misguided effort at best and a vicious attack on Latinos and other brown people at worst.
FWIW: No Democrats signed the bill
UPDATE:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law the nation's toughest legislation against illegal immigration Friday, a sweeping measure that supporters said would take handcuffs off police but which President Barack Obama said could violate people's civil rights.
The bill, sent to the Republican governor by the GOP-led Legislature, would make it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. It would also require local police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants.
Brewer, who faces a tough election battle and growing anger in the state over illegal immigrants, said the law "protects every Arizona citizen," and said the state must act because the federal government has failed.
"We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act," Brewer said after signing the law. "But decades of inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation."
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