Controversy Over Arizona Immigration Bill

The recently passed Arizona immigration measure, Arizona Senate Bill 1070,
has ignited a firestorm of controversy. Latino Congress members have
lambasted the bill as making racial profiling and discrimination part
of Arizona police procedure. The state of Arizona already is
practically running for emergency money loans dealing with immigration
issues.

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. The bill, according to the
Christian Science Monitor, would enable police officers to determine
immigration status of suspects involved in crime. The bill also forces
any immigrants to keep their 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. If no solution is reached soon, Arizona might
be looking for additional cash to keep up with the $ 1 billion it
annually spends.

Latino members of Congress 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) also is against the bill, as he
believes it also impedes federal jurisdiction over immigration matters.
Arizona legal defender Isable Garcia maintains the bill "legalizes
racial profiling."

Los Angeles Cardinal blasts bill as totalitarian

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Archbishop of the Los Angeles
Diocese Cardinal Roger Mahony has dubbed the authority given law
enforcement officials 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. They contend that a fairer policy on immigration is called for,
and Mahony's blog maintains that the impetus behind the bill is an
unrealistic view of immigration, as numerous come to this country
planning to make a better life with honest labor.

Immigration reform battles have a long history

Immigration legislation has a long history within the U.S. Latin
American immigrants are a cause du jour, and throughout the 19thcentury
(and most embarrassingly in WWII) the concern was over Asian
immigration. Decades of legislation have unsuccessfully tried to stem
immigration from Mexico. Harsher crackdowns haven't appeared to work in
the past, and perhaps pragmatism rather than authoritarian solutions is
needed.

Resources

Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/0415/Arizona-illegal-immigrati...

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...

Cardinal Roger Mahony's blog

http://cardinalrogermahonyblogsla.blogspot.com/