(CNN) -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday, April 23 2010, signed the state's immigration bill into law. It is considered to be among the toughest legislation in the nation.
What does the Arizona law do?
Arizona's law orders immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there's reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally.
It also targets those who hire illegal immigrant laborers or knowingly transport them.
Quotes from people on a blog, the Cafferty File
~I am beside myself with frustration over watching previously prosperous neighborhoods being turned into border town slums by illegal immigrants who have absolutely no investment in this country. For them, this country is but one thing: a cash cow.
~Change the law so at least one parent of a child born in the USA must be a legal citizen in order for the child to receive USA citizenship. No free aid, tuition, medical care, food, etc. for illegal immigrants. Make it hard for them to be here so they won't want to come here. If a company is employing illegal immigrants, give them a big fine per illegal immigrant. And deport the illegal immigrants. Mexico doesn't give illegal immigrants a break, so why should the USA give their citizens a break. We cannot employ or care for the entire world. Maybe if they can't get everything so easily here, they will stay in their own country and make a difference changing things there.
What should be done? How about states take matters into their own hands like Arizona has done. We cannot wait any longer for the Federal government to act. For the amount of drugs, weapons and criminals entering the US illegally – you have to ask yourself why our government hasn't done the MAXIMUM to stop the flow – and guess what ? The answer isn't pretty.. CORRUPTION AND GREED extends farther up then we ever imagined. Wonder how long before the Mexican drug cartels are buying elections
I submit there are probably more people with criminal history already in Arizona and/or passing through the state for that matter. While I despise illegal immigration, my frustration increases during election season since that is the only time it becomes an “issue”. Had there been tougher legislation, especially after 911, there would not have been the 'illegal" workforce that built the houses for the housing boon that big business and banks profited from and we are now all paying for. Unfortunately it is as you stated, "... because Democrats want the Mexican vote and Republican donors want the illegal aliens to work for them." Mostly the latter...
Hey Jack!
Have you ever been profiled? If not, then you don't know what you're talking about!! What proof do you have that "almost 1 in 5" entering the Arizona border have criminal records? I'm not saying they should be here illegally, however, I can guarantee there will be alot of innocent residents profiled and discriminated against!! I don't have a definitive answer to this situation, but this new legislature makes me sick to my stomach! I feel like our country is going backwards. What's next? Internment camps for brown skinned people unti we decide what to do with them. This is a national embarrassment and I for one am truly ashamed!!
1 in 5 have criminal activity, but the other 4 dont. we need these illegal residents because then no one would work the fields, clean the restrooms, and pick up the trash. lets face it the majority of these people are the only ones who work these jobs. i hate it when americans say, they are taking away our jobs. if you dont want your jobs taken away then get up from your couch and go get those jobs. most americans just like to complain about everything.
April 20th, 2010 5:14 pm ET
1. Step up workplace raids and fine the companies who hire illegals $10,000 for each illegal found.
2. Pass a law that an illegal employee is entitled to 500% of whatever he was paid if he can prove he worked illegally. The employer will have to give the illegals all the back pay when he/she leaves the company, but only if the illegal turns himself in and returns to Mexico. This will urge employers to stop hiring them and allow the illegal to go home with a nice bonus at the expense of the criminals who hire them.
Is there any other country in the world that you can go to, squat for a few years, and get all the privileges that any citizen in that country gets? Free healthcare? Free education? Housing assistance? These things really are free for the illegal alien, because they don't pay for any of them. They pay sales tax, but that's not what pays for education, housing, and healthcare. Your Federal taxes pay for those things.
By the way, switching from an income-based tax system to a consumption-based tax system would completely close the illegal "loophole".
Check out
FAIRtax.orgto get more information.
If the first thing you do as a new citizen of a new country is toviolate the laws of that new country, you and I have a problem.
I think that it's a cop-out to say "but the waits are too long," or "but I'll never get in," or "I don't want to learn English." Those are excuses. Hundreds of thousands of people become naturalized US citizens each and every year, and they do it legally. How must they feel that they've put in the effort, waited the appropriate time, and done what they needed to do to become US citizens and others simply cut a hole in a fence and waltz in to the country without so much as a wave hello, and by the stroke of an executive pen, they magically become citizens. Not cool, bro, not cool.
{EDIT}Josh Smithadvised me that "illegal alien" is redundant, since DHS uses the term "alien" to identify someone who is not a US national, not "illegal alien":
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-strongest-arguments-against-illegal-immigration-in-the-United-States