If you think the immigration debate and Arizona's SB 1070 law that just got signed on Friday by Governor Jan Brewer doesn't affect you - think again - and then think about it imagining yourself being on the other side of a flashlight in the dead of night because an Arizona law enforcement officer got to pull you over for no other reason than simply suspecting you were an "illegal alien".
And by "suspecting" -- we all know it means not being White.
The other fun part?
If you happen to get arrested during your stop - for possibly looking or saying something which could be construed as a threat - they can keep you there until they're satisified with your documentation and "status".
Check out the verbage:
B. For any lawful contact made by a law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person. Any person who is arrested shall have the person's immigration status determined before the person is released.
The person's immigration status shall be verified with the federal government pursuant to 8 United States code section 1373(c). A law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state may not solely consider race, color or national origin in implementing the requirements of this subsection except to the extent permitted by the United States or Arizona Constitution.
A person is presumed to not be an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States if the person provides to the law enforcement officer or agency any of the following:
1. A valid Arizona driver license.
2. A valid Arizona nonoperating identification license.
3. A tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification.
4. A valid United States federal, state or local government issued identification.
It's not even the fact that they say "where reasonable suspicion exists" - it's the fact that they don't spell out what that reasonable suspicion is leaving it wide open to interpretation.
And if you can't spell it out - what else could it be?
And if you can't spell it out - what else could it be?
