The new immigration laws that were passed in Arizona this past week have caught a lot of opposition across the United States. Many Americans believe that enforcing these laws would mean allowing police officers to racially profile in attempts to catch illegal immigrants in the state. Racially profiling is obviously an illegal practice that cannot be used by law enforcement, but the language in the new Arizona law in vague enough to allow profiling to occur. The new legislation also requires immigrants to carry their papers proving citizenship in the United States temporarily or permanently. Many believe this is an inconvenience that should not burden immigrants who lawfully went through the immigrations process, simply because a few bad apples that happen to have the same color skin as them did not do the same.
Days after this legislation was passed, Officer Martin Escobar has filed a lawsuit in federal court requesting that local police officers in Tuscon, Arizona not be required to enforce the new laws. Escobar believes that these new laws will prevent law enforcement to carry out all aspects of their jobs, most importantly the "successful commission of crimes". Like many Americans, Escobar does not see how the law can be enforced without enacting some sort of racial-bias to find those who are 'reasonably suspicious' (from the legislation). Still, Governor Brewer of Arizona and others deny that racial profiling has anything to do with the new law. This legislation hits close to home with police like Escobar, who themselves are naturalized American citizens. Since more than fifty percent of the residents of south Tuscon are Hispanic, the law would alienate a majority of the population. Escobar also believes that the laws would damage the integral relationship between police and the hispanic community that allows crimes to be solved and the community to remains safe.
I first heard of the new and extremely severe immigration laws in Arizona on the Colbert Report, which obviously took the topic and put a comedic spin on it. As funny as it was to hear Steven Colbert rip on the Arizona Government for the vague words "reasonably suspicious", this news story certainly brings me back down to earth. When foreigners from any nation decide that they would like to emigrate to the United States and they go through the correct legal process of naturalization, they should have the same rights as all of us. I could not imagine having to walk around as a legal immigrant, feeling like a constant suspect, fearing the police, and having to carry my papers around constantly. That would certainly not make me feel at home. Now don't get me wrong, some sort of change is necessary to stop illegal immigration to the United States, because its furthering unemployment and crime in our country. But basically questioning someone for being Hispanic is not right in my mind. Officer Escobar has a point with his lawsuit. To harvest trust between the police and Hispanic people in Arizona and other border states, discriminating laws like this cannot exist. They will foster more crime and a division within the community, something that an already tense situation does not need. Whether we need to up national security at the borders or do something else to prevent illegals from entering America, we cannot alienate our own citizens. These naturalized citizens rightfully pursued their American Dream, just like all of our ancestors who came here, and they deserve the right to freedom from fear in this nation.
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