The Battle of Immigration Reform: A Citizen's Take

The Battle of Immigration Reform: A Citizen’s Take
By Charles A. Hall

If you are staying in touch with any of the major news networks or even your local newspaper or local news website you will find story upon story, article upon article about the recently passed and signed into law immigration reform in the State of Arizona. Now before I proceed I’ll say that I haven’t read the entire law, just the cliff notes version, what I’ve watched and read in the news.

Arizona Senate Bill 1070 is a huge step in the direction of a growing issue: illegal immigration. Let me repeat that: ILLEGAL immigration! Those that enter into the United States of America outside of legal means are illegal, meaning against the law. Am I against immigration into the United States? No, I am not, I am a supporter of immigration because America was built upon immigration from the pilgrims to present day.

This bill has addressed many pressing concerns that have threatened the sovereignty and security of the State of Arizona. When an illegal immigrate enters the borders of the United States whether it be from Canada, Mexico, Cuba, or any other country these illegal immigrates are also entering our states, counties, and cities. The State of Arizona, and any other state in the Union, have the right to protect their borders, their citizens, their homes, their schools, their children, everything inside their borders they have the right to protect.

The United States of America is a country made up of States to form a Union. The Federal Government only gets its power from The People and the States. Without either the Federal Government has no power. Each state has the right to protect themselves.

I believe that too many people look at illegal immigration is just people coming into the country and there is nothing we can do about it until the Federal Government does something about the issue. This is not true. States have the complete right to protect themselves and 1070 has done this for the State of Arizona.

Racial profiling has come into the picture, that law enforcement officials will be going after everyone and everyone that are Latino, Cuban, African, etc. No, I don’t think so. I believe law enforcement officials have better common sense than we give them. Law enforcement officials must have “reasonable suspicion” to search an individual for weapons, drugs, etc. This is one step down from “probable cause.” You need probable cause usually to enter a home or the nature. Law enforcement officials only need reasonable suspicion to pull over a vehicle that they believe maybe a drunk driver on the road. I do not believe that 1070 will create a whole new level of racial profiling.

When I was a private investigator I would sit in my vehicle for hours on end and I had several law enforcement officials come to my vehicle and speak to me. “What are you doing here,” they would ask. I would identify myself and they would ask for my license. Now, do they have reasonable suspicion that I could be up to no good or lying? Yes, they do! I’m a twenty-four year old individual just sitting in a vehicle for the last eight hours outside of someone’s house! Do I believe they are profiling me because I’m twenty-four and sitting in a vehicle? NO! I believe they are doing their job. I would give them my license, they would run a quick check, find out I’m okay, and they would be on their way.

This scenario I have just presented is no different then what 1070 has done for the State of Arizona. This isn’t a new level of racial profiling, this is protecting the sovereign State of Arizona. Arizona has the right to protect themselves if the Federal Government doesn’t. Let us look at another scenario:

The defense of the United States lays with the Federal Government, correct? There is also laws that allows the states to form their own militia and to protect their sovereign borders. The National Guard is technically run by state governments as each state government is the state’s national guard commander-and-chief. So, if a state government calls up their state guard and their militia to protect their borders which border another country are they taking away from the Federal Government? I would say… NO! Why, because they have the right to protect their sovereign state and their citizens.
I praise the State of Arizona for taking an important step in state sovereignty and state rights. I am very pleased that the state is taking a more pro-active role in protecting their citizens. I fully agree with 1070 and hope other states will follow Arizona’s example, including Washington (my home state) and Utah (my current state of residence).