Eleven million people, Sixty votes and one state…
There are approximately eleven million undocumented people in the United States anxiously awaiting immigration reform. Recently, President Obama stated that he needed 60 votes in the Senate to pass any immigration legislation. As of today, he does not have those votes. The immigration debate has resurged after Arizona’s passed the controversial immigration law (SB 1070), scheduled to go into effect on July 28, 2010. This law, among other things, requires state and local law enforcement to check the immigration status of individuals it encounters, and makes it a state crime to be without proper immigration documentation. Other states also frustrated with Congress’ inaction have passed similar legislation. The Arizona law has incited boycotts; demonstrations; inter-state rifts and many legal challenges.
Proponents of the Arizona legislation affirm that the measures were required to combat the criminal activities rampant at the border. Does legislation requesting the immigration status of migrant workers have a direct or indirect correlation to fighting crimes stemming from the trafficking of drugs, guns and money?
Clearly, the south-of-the-border, cartel-related crimes require wide-ranging solutions based on cooperation from both the Mexico and the United States law enforcement. However, enacting the Arizona legislation to address the problems at the border is akin to treating cancer with an antihistamine. The cure does not relate to the disease. The violence at the border and the problem with illegal immigration are distinct and to treat them as related afflictions would dilute scarce resources. The distinction is that unauthorized immigrants are not the cause of the violence which plagues so many communities in Mexico. The more law enforcement is focuses its efforts on apprehending non criminal undocumented workers, the less resources it has to channel its efforts on combating serious criminal activity.
Further, despite assurances from the Arizona’s Governor Brewer, there is a concern that the new Arizona measures will lead to racial profiling. Since Arizona passed the controversial immigration law, one of the most famous cartoon characters, Dora the Explorer, has already fallen victim to racial profiling. Pervasive on electronic media is allegations about Dora’s immigration status. After all she is brown and has an accent; how could she be an American citizen?
Wait a minute, the original occupants of this country, the “true Americans”, the American Indians were brown and had an accent. Perhaps if they enforced their immigration laws, America would not have an immigration crisis today. Just think, Arizona might be questioning the immigration status of white men with no accent.
