Immigration: Immigration Scheme

Federal Jurisdiction Dept: The primary legal argument is constitutional: Arizona's bill “creates an unprecedented independent immigration scheme” that intrudes on federal jurisdiction. U.S. Attorney-General Eric Holder has promised a second lawsuit, against any racial profiling used in applying this law. The bill forbids racial profiling, yet in practice it would especially target people of Hispanic origin. To their credit, the police chiefs of Arizona's two largest cities have joined the federal government's legal action, according to Globe And Mail. There is legitimate concern around the circumventing of the legal process, but much of the anti-illegal immigrant animus is misguided. Illegal immigration is a secret cornerstone of the American economy, in which vital but low-paying jobs are often held by undocumented workers. In many states, up to a quarter of agricultural workers are illegal and in a real sense, the law, due to take effect on July 29, turns the state into a police state; it allows local law enforcement officials to ask for proof of status from anyone whom they “reasonably” suspect to be in the country illegally. Legislators in 17 other states have proposed similar measures. The recession and the resulting high unemployment, combined with the presence of about 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., have led to calls for more aggressive action. New fences across the U.S.-Mexico border, and raids on the employers of illegal immigrants, have been the preferred tactics, but their failure has pushed legislators to resort to new extremes. As reported in the news.
@t law enforcement officials, independent immigration