Arizona Immigration Law in Perspective

By Douglas V. Gibbs

The Arizona Immigration Law, S.B. 1070, has received a lot of criticism. The law has been called misguided, irresponsible, and racist. The law has been mischaracterized as one that uses racial profiling, even though the law specifically has text that not only does not allow racial profiling, but requires the police to provide evidence other than racial profiling to justify their reasonable suspicion regarding the legal status of the suspect.

California Congresswoman Linda Sanchez even went so far as to tell a Democratic Club on Tuesday that white supremacist groups are influencing lawmakers to adopt laws that will lead to discrimination, in reference to Arizona's immigration law.

One of Arizona's most outspoken critics, when it comes to the immigration law, has been President Barack Obama. He pursued a legal investigation, but to Obama's dismay, it is looking like a court case may not be their best path. That is not to say that they have taken a judicial path off the table. In fact the only concern Obama really has in regards to the border is the possibility that terrorists are crossing with the illegals. His anger against Arizona has nothing to do with the law. He only dislikes it because deporting illegal aliens is essentially sending Democrat Party votes back across the border.

In California the protest against Arizona's immigration law has led Los Angeles and San Francisco to boycott Arizona, and a college is actually setting up scholarship funds for illegal aliens. Last weekend a group of more than 2,000 Southern California activists headed to Arizona for a weekend demonstration against Arizona's immigration law. Some were hoping to get pulled over and arrested for being Mexican, even though the law is not in effect yet, and (as stated earlier) racial profiling is not allowed according to the law.

They are so angry with Arizona for their immigration law, without even reading the text of the law.

Fact is, the Arizona law is not a new law, but simply a State's attempt to ensure the laws the federal government refuses to enforce are, well, enforced.

U.S. Code, sections 1324 and 1325 considers it a felony to conceal, harbor, or shelter illegal aliens. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sections 274 and 275 consider illegal entry into the United States to be a misdemeanor. Repeated illegal entry is a felony. In short, the federal government wants to sue Arizona for enforcing law that is on the books, calling Arizona misguided for acting upon the laws the federal government refuses to enforce.

Well, says the protesters, Arizona's law is unconstitutional because it is the federal government's responsibility to enforce federal law.

Robbing a bank is breaking federal law. Should the police wait for the FBI to show up before chasing the bank robbers? Alcohol is taxed federally, and a federal agency is set up in regards to alcohol (ATF), so should the local police wait for a federal agent to show up before pulling over a drunk driver?

All of the protesters in California angry at Arizona for their law are also missing another obvious fact that when revealed, portrays their hypocrisy. After all, California Penal Code Section 834b calls for local law enforcement to do the same thing that the new Arizona law calls for. In other words, all of the people angry at Arizona for their immigration law lives in a state with an identical immigration law.

However, when you compare Arizona's S.B. 1070 with the U.S. Code and the Immigration and Naturalization Act, and then compare those laws to California's Penal Code Section 834b, there is one glaring difference.

Arizona's law is the only one of the three that does not allow racial profiling.

Imagine that.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Congresswoman: White Supremacist Groups Behind Arizona Immigration Law - Fox News

Obama to Arizona Governor: Don't Call Me, I'll Call You - Fox News

Calif. College Offers Scholarship to Illegal Immigrants - Fox News

Thousands Head To AZ for Immigration Protest - ABC 7 Los Angeles

Feds Issue Terror Watch for the Texas/Mexico Border - Fox News

California Penal Code Section 834b sounds a lot like Arizona’s anti illegal-immigration bill minus no racial profiling! Hypocrites! - Stop the Leftist Propaganda Machine