Question: So what do you think of the new Alabama immigration law?

[bamacon]

Any thoughts?

Must prove legal status if stopped by the police

Students must have birth certificate or legal affidavit

Employers must find out legal status of employees

 

[DiamondDust]

If I ever get stopped by the police for looking Mexican, and trust me... I can be confused for one at times, I'm going to be furious.

But seriously, the law is political pandering 101:

Let's take a tough stance on immigration, but when it comes to the resources and money required to handle all the new arrests and such that this bill will bring... well... we'll think of something later. Still... we're tough on crime so re-elect us!

 

[Jessica4Bama]

How does a business find out their legal status? If they have a social security card, etc. then how is the business to know they are not in fact legal?

 

[gmart74]

if congress did their sworn duty and secured the border, then this wouldnt be needed. until congress does one of its basic duties, then the states will do what has to be done. id say if people feel this is a violation of basic civil rights and destruction of what this country stands for, then they need to support much tougher border security. they need to stop saying there is a problem yet refusing to support any idea that addresses solving the problem.

 

[SavannahDare]

How does a business find out their legal status? If they have a social security card, etc. then how is the business to know they are not in fact legal?

Apparently there's an online federal program called E-Verify that all employers will be required to use for this purpose.

I'm all for measures to find and crack down on illegal immigrants, but I agree that the legislature probably hasn't put enough thought into just how much money will be required to hold illegals until INS (or whatever agency would facilitate expelling them from the country) takes possession of them.

 

[GreatMarch]

How does a business find out their legal status? If they have a social security card, etc. then how is the business to know they are not in fact legal?

The person would say, here is my social security card but can you pay me under the table? Regardless of where the illegal is from, that request will be made and only made when it is known that the employer is open to such a suggestion. I do not know much about the bill at this time but if it does not go after employers hiring illegals, then it is a weak law on illegal immigration. Employment of illegal aliens is much like loyaly, it is a 2 way street. The best way to combat this is through the work force because profiling measures will not be enough.

 

[Clubfitter]

Have not read the Alabama Immigration Law. I am for illegal immigrants to be shipped back to where they came from. If you want to be a citizen of the US go thru the proper channels.

 

[uafan4life]

Parts are ok. The "papers please" part? Disgusting. I'm an American citizen. I don't have to prove anything.

You do realize that you are doing that already when you get pulled over, right?

 

[BillDee]

My understanding is that the police can't stop anyone for "looking Mexican" anymore than they can stop someone for "looking guilty". The police must have a reason before making a stop.

Once a stop is made, the police must have a reason(s) for pursuing immigration status, just as they must have a reason for searching a car. I don't really see the problem.

I'm not sure the legislature is too concerned about how much money will be spent holding captured illegals. If all goes according to plan, said illegals will voluntarily remove themselves from the state.

 

[Bamaro]

Any thoughts?

Must prove legal status if stopped by the police

Students must have birth certificate or legal affidavit

Employers must find out legal status of employees

I like that

 

[2003TIDE]

I'm not sure the legislature is too concerned about how much money will be spent holding captured illegals. If all goes according to plan, said illegals will voluntarily remove themselves from the state.

That's kinda what is happening here in Georgia.

I'm for the basic premise that people should go through the proper legal channels to gain citizenship and pay taxes. I mean I really wouldn't care if you were here illegally if you paid your share of taxes.

I still don't like the laws because not much thought is put into what happens to families where part of the family are citizens and part aren't. I'm against splitting up families. You can't deport the kids who are American citizens to the parent's home country either. They have rights as citizens. What are you going to do deport the parents and put the kids under the care of the state? That's not going to be cheap.....

 

[uafan4life]

Are you really asking me to explain the difference between driving and citizenship?

No, I'm asking you if you realize that you already "prove your citizenship" when you get pulled over.

You hand the officer your identification and he runs a check on your ID to make sure you are who you say you are. That verifies your citizenship. If you are a valid citizen, nothing will change.

If don't have proper identification that proves your citizenship and the officer has reason to suspect that you might not be a valid U.S. citizen, then he can ask you for proof of citizenship and then enforce FEDERAL law and detain the person if necessary.

 

[Tidefan7887]

I have no problem with it. You can call it discrimination if you want. When I go to the grocery store to buy beer I get Id'ed everytime because I 'look too young to buy beer.' The guy in front of me didn't show his ID? Is that age discrimination? Sounds pretty similar to me. I don't go run crying and whining about it everytime it happens though. If you're Illegally here you're breaking the law. Someone needs to enforce the law.

 

[jthomas666]

No, I'm asking you if you realize that you already "prove your citizenship" when you get pulled over.

You hand the officer your identification and he runs a check on your ID to make sure you are who you say you are. That verifies your citizenship. If you are a valid citizen, nothing will change.

If don't have proper identification that proves your citizenship and the officer has reason to suspect that you might not be a valid U.S. citizen, then he can ask you for proof of citizenship and then enforce FEDERAL law and detain the person if necessary.

So if the procedure is already in place, as you say, why is it included in the law?

 

[BillDee]

I still don't like the laws because not much thought is put into what happens to families where part of the family are citizens and part aren't. I'm against splitting up families. You can't deport the kids who are American citizens to the parent's home country either. They have rights as citizens. What are you going to do deport the parents and put the kids under the care of the state? That's not going to be cheap.....

The law was passed as a deterrent to illegal activity, not to address every conceivable social situation that might arise. If the parents decide to stop breaking the immigration laws and return to their home country, they can take their children with them or make other arrangements they find acceptable.

 

[RollTide2U]

I think it's a good start, but like others, I'm not sure the legislature has provided for the enforcement of it. I have no problem with the law. As stated before, SOMEONE has to enforce our laws. I have no problem sending the kids back with the illegal parents either. That outdated law needs to be changed too - if you're born here you're automatically a citizen. It served its purpose when it was needed, now it's just causing a burden. Some come here and have the kids for the very purpose of anchoring themselves to this country and the child qualifies for all the welfare assistance. But until you go after the EMPLOYERS of these illegals with a vengeance and really hit them where it hurts, you're never going to completely get rid of this problem.

I have friends from Canada who are trying to bring a business down here to employ American citizens and they are having to jump through hoops right and left. They deal with hateful, sarcastic border agents, pay all sorts of money to immigration lawyers, provide stacks of documents to prove that they are, indeed, doing what they say they are - i.e. bringing their business down here. One border agent, upon looking at my friends documents and his L2 visa, looked at him and said "You people make me sick." He then stamped it and sent him on his way. What prompted that attitude? I don't know, but my friend (who plans to become a U.S. citizen) is coming down here to bring about 25 manufacturing jobs which pay between $15 and $20/hr with insurance benefits, and he's treated like crap at the border. Yet we treat the illegal aliens at the southern border who come here and glom off the rest of us with kid gloves. Something is seriously screwed up in this country.

 

[uafan4life]

So if the procedure is already in place, as you say, why is it included in the law?

The difference is that without this law local police officers don't have the authority to enforce Federal Immigration laws. All they can do is contact Federal Authorities with the information. With the law, local police officers can now detain (arrest) illegal immigrants and the local authorities can arrange, or at least assist in, the handling of the illegal immigrants after they've been detained.

That's misleading at best.

How, exactly?

 

[rizolltizide]

if congress did their sworn duty and secured the border, then this wouldnt be needed. until congress does one of its basic duties, then the states will do what has to be done. id say if people feel this is a violation of basic civil rights and destruction of what this country stands for, then they need to support much tougher border security. they need to stop saying there is a problem yet refusing to support any idea that addresses solving the problem.

That right there, my friend, is the problem this country has with everything. Everything. The condition is diagnosed, the medicine is prescribed, and promptly thrown right the hell out the window.

 

[bamacon]

The illegals all have driver's licenses from certain states. It really doesn't take much to find out that they are not authentic. Also, they violate traffic laws all the time with tailights out, no tags, too many passengers, no insurance etc. so it won't be hard for the initial stop. When they actually ask the appropriate federal agencies to do something with those detained that's when they will see the uselessness in their efforts. Maybe they will fund a tent-city prison like Sheriff Joe in AZ but with the cutting going on in Mont. I doubt there will be an appetite for it. We'll see. Also, did they change the school law? Last time I checked we had to serve ALL students in public schools regardless of immigration status (very similar to hospitals). I also know we had ZERO authority to even ask and were specifically directed NOT to. Anyone know?

 

[bamacon]

I like that

We agree on something. All things are possible