by Daniel Nardini
A federal judge in Arizona, reaffirming a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows Arizona police to question people on their immigration status, has basically ended the appeals process against this measure of Arizona’s state immigration law passed in 2010. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down every state law passed by Arizona except one, and that is the right of police to question any people they find “suspicious” and ask about their immigration status. Apparently, the U.S. Supreme Court and all other federal courts have not found any sufficient evidence that such a question is used more frequently against Latinos or other racial and ethnic groups than with the mainstream population. I have to ask myself how all of these justices can say such a thing when this law—passed in a state that borders Mexico—was specifically created for asking people who might look Mexican or Central American?!
I seriously doubt that such a law was passed to ask someone from, say, Poland or Russia even if they are not legally here. I seriously doubt that someone from Canada or from the French possession of St. Pierre Island (near Canada) would be asked if they are in the United States illegally. Why? Because these people can blend into the general white non-Hispanic population. Sadly, this law was and still is very much about profiling. People who look like they are “off white” will most certainly be questioned more than those who are Black or non-Hispanic white (even African Americans may indeed suffer more interrogation if they are thought to come from the Caribbean). Sometimes justice is truly blind as well as deaf and dumb to the realities of what takes place in America. Two possible things might now happen since this law will now stand. First, other states may try and adapt this law into their judicial process. Second, and much more dangerous, this law may be the dark door that will allow for more infringements of the civil liberties not only of immigrants (regardless of their immigration status) but also Americans. The danger is that Mexicans, Latinos and other vulnerable groups might come under attack with such laws as this in the not-so-distant future.
Leaving a Dark Door Open
by Daniel Nardini
A federal judge in Arizona, reaffirming a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows Arizona police to question people on their immigration status, has basically ended the appeals process against this measure of Arizona’s state immigration law passed in 2010. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down every state law passed by Arizona except one, and that is the right of police to question any people they find “suspicious” and ask about their immigration status. Apparently, the U.S. Supreme Court and all other federal courts have not found any sufficient evidence that such a question is used more frequently against Latinos or other racial and ethnic groups than with the mainstream population. I have to ask myself how all of these justices can say such a thing when this law—passed in a state that borders Mexico—was specifically created for asking people who might look Mexican or Central American?!
I seriously doubt that such a law was passed to ask someone from, say, Poland or Russia even if they are not legally here. I seriously doubt that someone from Canada or from the French possession of St. Pierre Island (near Canada) would be asked if they are in the United States illegally. Why? Because these people can blend into the general white non-Hispanic population. Sadly, this law was and still is very much about profiling. People who look like they are “off white” will most certainly be questioned more than those who are Black or non-Hispanic white (even African Americans may indeed suffer more interrogation if they are thought to come from the Caribbean). Sometimes justice is truly blind as well as deaf and dumb to the realities of what takes place in America. Two possible things might now happen since this law will now stand. First, other states may try and adapt this law into their judicial process. Second, and much more dangerous, this law may be the dark door that will allow for more infringements of the civil liberties not only of immigrants (regardless of their immigration status) but also Americans. The danger is that Mexicans, Latinos and other vulnerable groups might come under attack with such laws as this in the not-so-distant future.