Arizona's New Immigration Law

Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona signed the nation’s toughest bill on illegal immigration into law a week ago. Its aim is to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants. The move unleashed immediate protests and started a battle over immigration reform nationally. President Obama strongly criticized the law. The law would make the failure to carry immigration documents a crime and give the police broad power to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. It requires police officers, “when practicable,” to detain people they reasonably suspect are in the country without authorization and to verify their status with federal officials, unless doing so would hinder an investigation or emergency medical treatment. It also makes it a state crime, a misdemeanor, to not carry immigration papers. In addition, it allows people to sue local government or agencies if they believe federal or state immigration law is not being enforced. Opponents have called it an open invitation for harassment and discrimination against Hispanics regardless of their citizenship status. Some believe the law gives officers the ability to demand documents like “Nazism.” Hispanics against the law said it is a recipe for racial and ethnic profiling. Predictions show that the law would create “a spiral of pervasive fear, community distrust, increased crime and costly litigation, with nationwide repercussions.” While police demands of documents are common on subways, highways and in public places in some countries, including France, Arizona is the first state to demand that immigrants meet federal requirements to carry identity documents legitimizing their presence on American soil. Ms. Brewer said she would work to ensure that the police have proper training to carry out the law. But she sided with arguments by the law’s sponsors that it provides an indispensable tool for the police in a border state that is a leading magnet of illegal immigration. President George W. Bush had attempted comprehensive reform but failed when his own party split over the issue. Once again, Republicans facing primary challenges have come under tremendous pressure to support the Arizona law, known as SB 1070.