So if you break the law and get pulled over are the police now required to racially profile and ask you if you are here legally? NO! There are all sorts of safety clauses to prevent coercion, unlawful stopping, etc.

If an individual is pulled over and they don’t have a drivers licence from Arizona or another state, or if their driving privileges have been revoked, the police now have the ability to ask if they are here legally. Unless, according to the law, the person without a valid licence has their spouse with them, in that case nothing happens.

This bill also keeps the original aspects of the older law that prevents hiring street labor (regardless of legal status) if it blocks traffic. It also requires that companies immediately fire any employees found to be illegal aliens – although it provides an out if employees try to trap the business owners and lie about their status. It also makes it a felony to smuggle people across the border.

And what happens if someone is found in violation of the law and is here illegally? They pay a fine, go to jail, and then get sent to immigration services for deportation.

To sum it up:

• This Arizona law simply enforces existing law
• There has to be another reason someone is pulled over (accident, drunkenness…)
• The existing law prevents employers from hiring illegals, and prevents people from being hired as day labor off the street
• Human smuggling is also illegal and a felony

That’s it!

Last I heard Federal law made it illegal to cross the border without proper immigration papers. Regardless of how flawed the Federal immigration policy is, there is nothing wrong with this bill and a boycott of all things Arizonian is a misdirection of anger. Take issue with Washington if you don’t want the current laws enforced.