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Andres Oppenheimer
Last week was a bad one for those of us opposing Arizona's anti-immigration law: New polls show that a huge majority of Americans support the legislation, and key candidates for November's midterm elections are now saying they want similar laws for their own states.
Three separate polls -- from the
There's no question that the polls show a clear public sentiment that something has to be done to stop the steady flow of migrants. But I would like to ask six questions to supporters of the Arizona law, and to politicians who are considering similar legislation in 16 other states:
1. Are you aware that the Arizona law turns every Hispanic in Arizona, including U.S. citizens, into a potential suspect? Do you like the idea of police stopping members of the largest U.S. minority group because of the color of their skin, or their Spanish accent?
WHAT'S 'LAWFUL STOP'?
Granted, the Arizona law was recently amended to demand that police engage in the "lawful stop, detention or arrest" of people before inquiring about their immigration status. Supporters of the law say this means police can only stop people in connection with other crimes. But, in reality, "lawful stop" can mean many things, including stopping a person to ask whether they saw something suspicious around the corner.
2. Do you know that the stated reason for the Arizona law -- a wave of crime brought about by undocumented migrants -- is not backed by the state's official statistics?
According to the
3. Do you know that the
4. Are you aware that Los Angeles and several other U.S. cities have voted to boycott Arizona? Arizona's tourism board said last week that the boycotts have cost the financially ailing state
DYSFUNCTIONAL SYSTEM
5. Do you know that the reason so many migrants enter the United States illegally is because they can't get in legally? Under the dysfunctional current U.S. immigration system, the U.S. labor market employs up to 500,000 low-skilled workers a year, but the U.S. government only gives 5,000 permanent legal visas a year in that category.
6. Even if you support the Arizona law, is it worth turning the country into a quasi police state, making every member of its largest minority group a suspected criminal, and losing billions of dollars in legal costs and boycotts? Or would it make more sense to update the country's immigration laws, creating an immigration system that welcomes legal immigrants and discourages illegal ones?
My opinion: I say the latter. Fortunately, I'm in good company: A
There is a much better -- and less traumatic -- way to solve this problem than Arizona's de facto racial profiling law: passing a comprehensive immigration law that secures the border, punishes employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers, provides a path to earned legalization for undocumented immigrants, and significantly increases the number of U.S. visas for workers the country needs.