Yeah, because it makes so much sense for police to be given carte blanche to hassle people just because they are or look Mexican. NOTHING bad could happen from that, amirite?
You know that Arizona cops are pretty much universally against this law, right? Just think about the impact this has on solving any OTHER crimes going on that involve anyone Hispanic. You think anyone will talk to the cops about ANYTHING, when they know that they could end up having to fight deportation, no matter if they're legal or not just by talking to the cops?
You know that you don't have the right to a court-appointed lawyer in immigration hearings, unless they're willing to work for free? How many poor but legal people will get railroaded under such a system as Arizona is trying to run? How, exactly, are you supposed to fight getting railroaded if you're poor, even if you're 100% legal and grew up in the US all your life? Think about how many people who are innocent get sent to jail now, and that's with a jury trial and a guaranteed lawyer. How many legal residents and citizens are going to get shipped out of the country in immigration hearings where you get neither?
Also: News flash here. Illegals DO pay taxes. They get income tax, medicare, and social security deducted from their paychecks the same as anyone else. Here, from a Libertarian organization:
http://reason.org/news/show/122411.html So, yes, Illegals pay more into the system than they take out, resulting in a net POSITIVE effect on both state and federal budgets.
Lastly, as I've said before, never before in the entire history of this country have you had to have your birth certificate or passport on your person as you go about your day to day business. It's actually been a big point of pride in this nation in the past that you do NOT have to show "papers" just to walk down the street, ride a bus, etc. Yet now, people want to make it so that everyone in this country that has brown skin suddenly MUST do so or risk getting swept up into deportation hearings, regardless of if they're legal or not? Fuck that. Talk about intrusive government...
-Arlos