Division of Ideas In Law enforcement In Arizona

An article in the New York Times explains how the Arizona’s new immigration law SB1070 is causing divisions between Law Enforcement in the state. This law will provide broad power to state and local police to enforce immigration law. SB1070 makes a failure to carry immigration documents a crime, and gives the police power to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. Its aim is to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants, which it supposed to be an INS agents duty not a police officer’s.

The National police group of Arizona are against this law, because they believe this law will lead to racial and ethnic profiling, and threaten public safety if immigrants don’t report crimes, or if they don’t cooperate with authorities. Members of the Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative, a group of police leaders, stated that they are worried that other states would copy Arizona’s law. If this law spreads to other states like Texas it will affect all the people living here, specially the Hispanic community. The Arizona Association of chiefs of police and several sheriffs have also come out against the bill, labeling this new law as heavy-handed, and an intrusion into federal matters. On the other hand, The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association promotes the bill as a “ common sense proactive step in the right direction in the continuing battle on illegal immigration.” In contrast, the President of Fraternal Order of Police believes that this new law will create costs to departments, crowd jails, and will require extra training for officers to identify between an documented and undocumented people. Both groups agree that a federal overhaul will help improve control for immigration.

This Division of opinions is an example of how divided is the country at this moment regarding the new Arizona’s Immigration Law. In my opinion this new law will lead to harassment and discrimination against Hispanics, regardless of their citizenship status. It’s not fair that a police officer should ask you about your status in this country just because one speak Spanish or looks Hispanic. In fact more than 30% of the people in Arizona are Hispanic. I don’t believe police officers have the training to identify a undocumented person just by their appearance. Instead of promoting this type of law that is anti-immigrant, Governors should promote Immigration reform in congress to solve the undocumented immigrant problem that the country has.