Arizona and the American Gestapo

Immigration and border control, however mismanaged, are the responsibility of the Federal Government.

Notwithstanding that, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) last week signed a bill passed by the Republican controlled State Legislature. Arizona law now requires police to question people about their immigration status if they have reasonable suspicion - not probable cause - to believe they they might be in the USA illegally. The crime, if they are here illegally, is criminal trespass in Arizona.

Needless to say the law is aimed at persons of Hispanic origin but, undoubtedly, to demonstrate that they are not engaged in racial profiling, police will find it prudent to pull over a reasonable number of blue eyed white people. That process already takes place at airports where TSA Screeners take aside eighty year old Great Grandmothers, with artificial hips and accompanied by small children, for intrusive pat downs.

"See, we're not profiling people who look like they might be from the Middle East"

Your correspondent is an immigrant - and proud of it. He is also an American citizen and proud of that but, in spite of having lived in America for over forty years, still speaks with a detectable foreign accent.

One of the freedoms of being an American is that we do not have to carry an Identity Card at all times. So, when I, an American citizen, am stopped by a member of the local Gestapo somewhere in Arizona, how do I prove that I am entitled to be here?

Why do I have to prove that I am a citizen. What happened to that quaint concept of 'innocent until proven guilty'? Where is the probably cause? To be detained by the police on the grounds of 'reasonable suspicion', particularly when the only basis is how a person looks or speaks, is hardly acceptable to a free people.

Papieren!

Jawohl, mein Herr.

Sieg Heil!

There is a resemblance to Nazi Germany that is not pleasant to contemplate.

Needless to say, as a matter of principle, your correspondent will not be going to Arizona until after this law is repealed or struck down by the courts.

Perhaps not even then.