The only thing that makes a person suspicious of being in the country illegally, is their "race"

[npk]

First example,

Lets say you are a cop, a cop patrolling in the state of Arizona, or any state for that matter. You stop a vehicle for speeding, and approach the driver. The driver of the vehicle is hispanic, but speaks english as well as you do. You ask him for his license as to verify his identity. The driver tells you that he can not find his license, that he most likely left his license at his house. You the officer get suspicious. You believe that he is lying, and that he may in fact be in this country "illegally." So you detain the individual and take him down to your local precinct, police hub, what have you. The man sits around for hours, until a family member can be contacted and can confirm, with papers (a birth certificate, license, etc) that the man you have in your custody is indeed a legal resident of the state of Arizona and actually born in this country.

Second example,

You are patrolling in the same area as the example above. You see a car speeding and stop that vehicle. You approach the vehicle and observe that this car is being driven buy a white male. You ask the man for his license. The man fumbles around through the various compartments in his vehicle, before finally telling you that he can't find his license, but is certain that it is in his other pair of pants at his house. You, as the police officer, return to your patrol car and right two tickets. One for speeding and one for not having a valid drivers license. You return to the man's car and hand him the two tickets. You tell him to show his license on the court date and you will dismiss the no license charge. You tell him to slow down and send him on his way.

In these two examples both men were guilty of the same two offenses, speeding and not having a valid license on their person. But only one of these men were detained and taken down to the local police department and asked to prove that they belong in this country. So the question is what made the officer suspicious. The only difference in this example, is that one man had brown skin, while the other had white skin. Therefore, the cop has to be racially profiling. There is simply no other way to go about this. I am sorry for those of you well intended apologist for the state of Arizona. Or those of you who listen to talk radio and have been convinced that this law "specifically eliminates racial profiling." It doesn't. It can't eliminate it. It is just not possible. The first and most important thing that raises suspicion for any lawmen, who will be called upon to enforce this law, is RACE. Otherwise, police would have to detain and verify the legal status of every single person they stop that lies to them about where they are going, or where they have been, or every single person that runs from them, whether on foot or in a vehicle. Yet countless examples tell us that law enforcement does not check the legal status of every person they come into contact with that runs from them, has a small bag of dope on, or lies about where they live, or give a fake name and address. The only people that they will follow up on, will be those who look hispanic.

The plain simple truth here is that the only way to enforce this law, is to racially profile the people you stop. Otherwise you would have to be suspicious of everyone who is a little nervous, a little confused, or give a bullshit answer to a lawman's question. And we all know that is not going to happen in the state of ARIZONA.. At least not to the people who look like they belong. Keep telling yourself that this law specially forbids racial profiling. If that allows you to sleep better at night, fine. Just stop trying to convince the rest of us. You have no leg to stand on and yes you are in over your head, as it pertains to this discussion.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

1. The lowest fruit always get picked first.

If people don't want deported... they should try to fit in better.
DOn't be such an easy target.

[EFerrari]

3. But that doesn't even begin to handle legal immigrants and citizens

who are Latino -- like that trucker that was arrested for not having his birth certificate ON HIM in Phoenix. And that was before this law was passed.

[readmoreoften]

9. Like, what? Buy skin bleach, Brooks Brothers suits, and Subarus on $6 an hour?

Gross.

[The Straight Story]

2. I can say a lot on this whole topic - but by the numbers, most people here illegally

are from South of the border.

[Bobbieo]

5. And most of them are here because soneone gave them a job. Right!!!!

[texastoast]

4. It has to be racial

And some Arizona law enforcement officials along the border have so said. I recall reading that one said that "it is the worst law to come out of the legislature in 50 years."

[TheMadMonk]

6. Except that, while in the majority, Hispanics are by no means the only...

...racial group that has an illegal presence in the US. Africans, Asians, Indians, Russians, some Euros and Middle Easterners.

By all means attach a legal residency test to offences which call for an automatic trip to the station, but routine traffic stops should be conducted entirely without fear or favour. Everyone gets EXACTLY the same treatment. Either everyone goes through the mill for the sole offence of lack of ID or no one does.

[Richard Steele]

7. Damn right! K&R

[jp11]

8. You are wrong, that is not the only way to enforce that law.

The law says there is supposed to be legitimate reason for suspicion that the LEO learns about in special training what you have described is about race and that violates the law that is supposed to go into effect. That wouldn't stop a LEO from making up a reason for suspicion why he/she let the white person go and not the brown one but it needs to exist to comply with the law. Again, what happens if the LEO doesn't happen to have a reason not based on race, I don't know I doubt the person is going to be allowed to stay if they are here illegally, I doubt the LEO is losing their job or going to be fined $50k. More than likely repeated abuse of that aspect of the law will result in disciplinary action and eventually termination at least one would hope.

Common sense tells anyone who is reasonable some racial profiling is going to happen but it does not always have to be that way. A LEO stumbling upon a van full of people near the desert at 3:00am where maybe the driver and a couple of people speak english, the people don't know who the others are except for maybe one or two and all tell a different story when questioned might fit the special training of suspicious things a LEO is allowed to use to ask about immigration status.

Executive Order 2010-09
http://www.azgovernor.gov/dms/upload/EO_201009.pdf