Just cant win

[BigBear]

Very interesting article with legal perspective and analysis:
http://www.gazette.com/opinion/crime...ally-made.html
(Also - check out the results in the poll... hmmm)

Opening a can of worms here, but:

There is a statement in the article that reads along the lines of "..beg immigrants to do jobs Americans won't...".

My story:

There was a time in my undergrad during which I was looking for construction work. Yes I had expeirence. It came down to myself and an ILLEGAL immigrant. Yes, I asked if he was an illegal. He said yes, he was here to find a job and support his family in Mexico. They chose him over me. I asked the reasoning. Foreman says the other guy can work longer and cheaper, plus I'm still in school (no bearing as this was a weekend DOT project). I said fine and left. I would've done the work. I think the blanket statement that "they will do jobs that Americans don't want" is an outright lie propagated to garner support for evading taxes, etc... which ironically, they most likely voted for....

I'm done.

[funkfool]

Opening a can of worms here, but:

There is a statement in the article that reads along the lines of "..beg immigrants to do jobs Americans won't...".

+1
I agree.
Tell that to the thousands looking for work now....

[Irving]

I posted that article on another board and someone said that they thought that letting a Visa expire is a civil offense, but physically jumping the boarder is still a criminal offense. Certainly worth looking into.

[sniper7]

Opening a can of worms here, but:

There is a statement in the article that reads along the lines of "..beg immigrants to do jobs Americans won't...".

My story:

There was a time in my undergrad during which I was looking for construction work. Yes I had expeirence. It came down to myself and an ILLEGAL immigrant. Yes, I asked if he was an illegal. He said yes, he was here to find a job and support his family in Mexico. They chose him over me. I asked the reasoning. Foreman says the other guy can work longer and cheaper, plus I'm still in school (no bearing as this was a weekend DOT project). I said fine and left. I would've done the work. I think the blanket statement that "they will do jobs that Americans don't want" is an outright lie propagated to garner support for evading taxes, etc... which ironically, they most likely voted for....

I'm done.

I would have got pissed, found out where they were working and call ICE.

[Nix]

The law does not allow LE to ask to "see your papers" for no reason. They have to stop you for breaking a law. Everyone is already required to show ID when stopped (driving or walking), if you are a "resident alien" or visa holder, you are already required to carry those papers as well. This law does nothing but enforce the law the FEDS won't. There was also an executive order to go along with this law that will provide training to LE on what is and is not reasonable suspesion.

I'll be candid Stuart, I dismissed that immediately as an "example of abuse" as you characterized it, still do. I get the emotional connection you touched-on but two things,

1. I never, under any circumstance, would take a thrice removed re-telling of something like that and so quickly attach a fact statement to it, especially on a sensitive topic such as this. As written (or as shared with you), the bias of those carrying the message forward would have corrupted the facts so intensely their account would have little value in my assessment by the time it reached my ears/eyes.
2. Unless I have multiple sources providing counter-points (preferably to include 3rd-partys) and substantiating facts, eliminating bias and getting to the truth is a no-go. I purge hearsay and anecdotal commentary without giving it a second thought, especially when driven by emotion and the desire to “inflate” or sway opinion and decisions.

In your posted example, I absolutely do not accept that an aged, legal citizen with youngsters in the car and a valid driver’s license in his pocket, regardless of his “broken English” was detained and then required to show added proof of citizenship under this just-signed law. That story-line does not meet the minimum common-sense factor, it just doesn’t, and I suspect you know that too. If that gentleman was detained this week, and he probably was, I submit something else was the root-cause.

Question: What jurisdiction (city, town or township of record) did this event occur in?

No doubt you shared exactly what you heard but...that's not good enough evidence in my book to put a black-mark against LE and the new AZ law, not even close.

I have to add to this, though I agree with cebeu.

In what way can you blame this new law for this incident? It does not even go into effect until late summer.