News

Apr 19, 2010

Reforming immigration laws has been on the back burner of the administration as President Obama concentrated his efforts on health care reform legislation. But events in Arizona in the past week returned the immigration issue to the foreground.

Federal agents on Thursday raided five Arizona shuttle businesses in a crackdown on smuggling illegal immigrants. It was described as the largest human smuggling bust in the seven-year history of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

With the cooperation of Mexican authorities, 47 people were arrested in a sweep that involved 800 agents from nine different law enforcement agencies.

The raids came two days after the Arizona House of Representatives approved what would be the toughest anti-illegal-immigration law in the nation. If signed by Gov. Jan Brewer, the law grants sweeping power to police who would have authority to halt anyone with "reasonable suspicion" (whatever that might mean) of being an immigrant to demand proof of legal residency.

Police could arrest someone who could not produce documents showing they are in the country legally. Conviction could bring up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

The bill also prohibits cities from using "sanctuary" policies that limit police enforcement of immigration laws. While backed by the police unions, it was opposed by police chiefs, fearing it would be too costly and create distrust among legal immigrants.

The bill could also lead to racial profiling and stereotyping that could harass legal immigrants and even U.S.-born residents of Hispanic descent, not just the state's estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants. Anyone appearing to be Hispanic in origin could be stopped. As one naturalized U.S. citizen said, "If they see a Mexican face and a Mexican name, they'll ask for papers."

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona called the bill "an unprecedented expansion of police power."

Immigration is not an issue that can be handled on a state-by-state basis that leads to extremes such as the Arizona law. It is a national matter, as the Customs' raid has shown. It is a problem for the White House and Congress to address through comprehensive legislation.