Racial Profiling Law in Arizona Targets Latinos.

Let me start by saying that I do not support illegal immigration but the law that is being passed in Arizona is nothing short of legalized racial profiling. The bill that is now on the governor's desk requires police officers to become immigration and custom enforcement officers and detain anyone whom they think is an illegal immigrant. As if the police aren't busy enough!!

These anti-government Republicans down in Arizona will have to hire more police officers to enforce this law, which is more government--how ironic. And how do they assess who they think is an illegal immigrant besides by the color of their skin, speaking Spanish or having a Spanish accent? All of which are racial profiles because there are many Latino-Americans who speak Spanish and/or have a Spanish accent.

Republican Representative Brian Bilbray claims you can tell who is an illegal immigrant by the type of clothes and shoes they wear!!!! Huh?!! What does he think, Latinos all look like Juan Valdez (pictured above)? Juan Valdez is a fictional character who resembled a Colombian coffee grower for a Colombian coffee company. He has, however, become to some a stereotype of Latinos. The lawmakers say the Arizona law wouldn't single out Latinos but how many white skinned redheads are they going to detain for questioning?

But wait, it gets worse:

The bill makes it a state crime for immigrants not to carry authorization papers, requires the police “when practicable” to check the immigration status of people they reasonably suspect are in the country illegally and allows people to sue cities and counties if the law is not being enforced.

James: So in other words people will have to carry around birth certificates, passports or other "proofs of citizenship" just in case they are confused for an illegal immigrant, which is nothing short of a police state where everyone has to "show their papers." What's next? Setting up road blocks to search all the cars that have dark skinned people in them? This is like Alabama in the 1960s--It's a horrible precedent and should be pushed back against with all our effort.

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