First of all, I want to hash out the stereotype of an illegal immigrant: An un- or undereducated brigand/interloper who may or may not bring either drugs, weapons, or both over the border, and in addition to this, "steals" jobs away from the average, everyday American.
That is likely only the case in less than 1% of all undocumented citizens.
The typical illegal immigrant is simply an impoverished person looking for ways to improve his/her life and his/her family's life, and is willing to take whatever simple job is necessary to support them. The jobs they take are typically those that the average American wouldn't take, such as farm worker, house cleaner, maid, etc. In fact, United Farm Workers, along with the support of Stephen Colbert, has started a "Take Our Jobs" campaign, where migrant workers will literally give up their jobs of picking food during a harvest to any Americans who are interested. ((www.takeourjobs.org)
Now, Arizona; home to miles and miles of sand, some cacti, and an immigration law that is reminiscent of racial profiling. Oh, wait, it basically is.
The law requires legal immigrants to carry their immigration papers on them at all times and requires police to question subjects whom they believe to be in the country illegally.
Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I believe that carrying around one's immigration documents in order to prove that one is a citizen casts an undue burden on the legal immigrant. Also, there isn't exactly a criterion for discriminating between an illegal immigrant and a second-generation citizen, namely an Hispanic one. Both likely speak Spanish and both likely fit the profile for a suspected illegal immigrant. What happens when a cop suspects an American-born Hispanic person of being an illegal immigrant, and that person has no immigration documentation?
It seems that this law is the culmination of all the repressed frustration felt by Americans, especially by those recently unemployed or those who have to work under immigrants or those of different races. In a recent study I read, 60% of Caucasians support the law, while 30% of other races support it (+ or - a few percentage points). The law, xenophobic in its nature, has already been challenged by the ACLU and will eventually reach the Supreme Court, which, if holding to prior Civil Rights cases, will strike down the law.
Jon Stewart had a great bit on this. Enjoy.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Law & Border< | ||||
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That's all for now,
Das Flüg
P.S. VAMOS VAMOS, ARGENTINA, VAMOS VAMOS, A GANAR! Sorry US, need to go with my roots.
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