Not to be outdone by GOP in Dixie, Arizona Republicans are unveiling their own brand of racism.
Hispanic leaders in the House of Representatives called Tuesday for President Barack Obama Tuesday to act against Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration legislation and to throw his weight behind a comprehensive immigration overhaul.
Reps. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., demanded a halt to the bill that passed Arizona’s Senate Monday. The state’s House of Representatives passed it last week. If Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signs it into law, the bill would require immigrants to carry alien registration cards with them at all times and police to check people’s immigration status whenever there’s "reasonable suspicion" that they are in the country illegally.
Grijalva and Gutierrez said that if Brewer, a Republican, signs the bill into law, the Obama administration should step in to stop it.
"The president of the United States should simply say, ‘On the issue of immigration, the Constitution is clear, my power is clear — I’m going to regulate immigration in the United States from a federal level,’" Gutierrez said.
Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund who appeared with the congressmen at a news conference, said that the Department of Homeland Security could end agreements that allow Arizona law enforcement to police immigration laws or the Justice Department could challenge the initiative as a violation of civil rights law.
An Obama administration official said the White House is reviewing the Arizona legislation…
Inserted from <McClatchy DC>
Reasonable suspicion? John “Fake Tan” Boehner had better stay away or he might ebd up on a bus to Mexico.
Keith Olbermann and Rep. Raul Grijalva throw light on the subject.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I understand that John “McConJob” MCain has come out in favor of this obscene racism.
6 Responses to “Racial Profiling = Racism”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I disagree with this piece of shit legislation immensely but I also recognize that something has to be done to stop the trafficking of humans for whatever reason.
Mark, I agree. The illegal status creates a pool of exploitable workers. Legal status would actually benefit our economy.
I’m with TWM. This law is obscene and will just encourage the police to be even more suspicious of people of Hispanic descent. It is racism, pure and simple. And who’s going to issue these illegal alien cards? Why not just go to INS and turn yourself in for deportation – what a fucked up idea.
Lisa, I see police split into three camps on this. I think the majority will ignore it, because they want people in the community to trust them. A second group will enforce it, just because it’s the law. A third group, those who include themselves in the GOP base, will use the law as an occasion to express their racism under the cover of law.
I cannot believe this legislation, and think this is a great assault to not only immigrants, but Americans as well. This bill will do more harm to the rights of the average American then it will protect them. It is racist, and legalized racism in the name of law enforcement.
While I think profiling plays a role in law enforcement, to make it the dominating force is dangerous, and can potentially lead to abuse.
I hope federal courts strike down this law, and on top of that, I hope it riles the GOP and their base up, so that everybody can see the racist undercurrent of the conservative movement…
Kevin, that’s the silver lining. The GOP has applied their Southern Strategy to the Southwest.