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Saturday 26 May RNW - NEWS AND ANALYSIS FROM THE NETHERLANDS IN 10 LANGUAGES, WORLDWIDE 24/7 ON RADIO, TV AND ONLINE
Opponents of Arizona's new immigration law listen during a demonstration
Reinout van Wagtendonk's picture
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Phoenix, United States of America
Phoenix, United States of America

US state passes controversial anti-immigration law

Published on : 26 April 2010 - 5:12pm | By Reinout van Wagtendonk (Photo: ANP)
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Thousands of people marched peacefully on Sunday evening in Phoenix, the capital of the US state of Arizona, to express their opposition to a controversial new anti-immigration law.

Opponents argue that the new law discriminates against Latino Americans. In a rare presidential intervention on a state matter, President Barack Obama described the law as “misguided” on Friday. Civil rights organisations have threatened with lawsuits.
 
The law was signed by Republican Governor Jan Brewer last Friday. The state of Arizona borders with Mexico. Illegal immigrants smuggled over from the sparsely-populated Mexican desert region cause a lot of trouble, say Americans living in the frontier area. It’s a busy drug trafficking route and the Mexican drug barons regularly extend their wars across the border, killing their victims on US territory. Immigration control is the responsibility of the federal government, but a majority in Arizona feel that Washington has failed them.
 
So, Arizona has acted on its own behalf, passing a law aimed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the US border state. The law requires police officers to question and detain anyone they believe may be an illegal immigrant, even if they are not suspected of committing another crime. It would also require anyone in the state suspected of being an illegal immigrant to show a document proving their legal status.
 
Racial profiling
But, say critics, if police demand papers from people just because they look Mexican, and they turn out to be a US citizen, their constitutional rights will have been infringed as US citizens are not required to carry ID. Latinos are assuming that only people with an Hispanic appearance will be stopped by authorities, which constitutes an act of discrimination, says one demonstrator in Phoenix:
 
"That law legalises racial profiling which we fought so hard to end in this country…"
 
The first anti-immigration legislation demonstrations ahead of the governor’s announcement on Friday ended in clashes with authorities. Empty bottles and lunch leftovers were hurled at the police; supporters of the law were also harassed.
 
Fury
Sunday’s organised march denouncing the legislation passed off more quietly. The law has ignited fury among the mayor of Phoenix, Democratic politicians and civil rights leaders who have announced further protests and legal action. Some police commissioners also spoke out against the legislation, arguing that it will widen the rift between police authorities and Hispanics, including the hundreds of thousands of illegal citizens. This in turn will undermine security at the border region, the very argument used by the governor for its introduction.
 
Illegal Latinos in the US are a bit like Muslim immigrants in Europe. They’re all thrown on the same heap and often the scapegoat for all the woes of society. The passing of the law - just as Democrats are considering launching a comprehensive immigration reform bid – has ensured that the immigration debate will be placed fully under the spotlight in the weeks ahead.

Discussion

LED lights supplier 20 July 2011 - 5:54am / china

It scares the f**k out of me to see Obama and his cronies trying to europify us here, we are (soon to be were if he keeps on lying and caniving the way he is)

Bradshaw 6 July 2011 - 11:21pm

Although I'm a New Orleans auto accident lawyer and not an expert in this field,I think this kind of laws are unethical.The Immigration Law in Arizona is based solely on economics.With the onset of the recession, things got very tight. To make more jobs available to the Arizona Americans and to give the US government a break in the area of welfare, they enforced this law.It has made it no safer.It has had very little effect on the economy or taxes. Yes, this law has failed both in practicality and ethically.

LED Light 21 June 2011 - 10:28am

I'm sure they will accept you. I remember when the people from my country many are living in the Netherlands. Since ancient times it happened. But once someone has returned to Indonesia, or just a vacation, they will be well received even have a celebration. so, my conclusion is, go home to Afghanistan, build up your country.LED Light Manufacturer

Edna 20 June 2011 - 3:19am

I'm not an expert,I'm only interested in laws when it comes to other areas.The only thing concerning cross-border transactions that caught my attention is about legal expertise including intellectual property transactions offered by Jonathan Dickstein.But if it goes against the public sentiment then the legislation should be revised. While formulating a legislation its implications should be thoroughly considered.

Harold Rehberg 26 March 2011 - 6:17am

My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This post actually made my day. You cann't imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

LED Light 21 June 2011 - 10:29am

I'm sure they will accept you. I remember when the people from my country many are living in the Netherlands. Since ancient times it happened. But once someone has returned to Indonesia, or just a vacation, they will be well received even have a celebration. so, my conclusion is, go home to Afghanistan, build up your country.LED Light Manufacturer

Anonymous 25 May 2010 - 8:00pm / Canada

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
bluefan
I love the United States of America
===================================================================

Vidkung Quisling
I love Nazi Germany!

===================================================================

Seys Inquart
I love Nazi Germany!

Anonymous 19 May 2010 - 10:06pm / canada

Bluesfan45

1 May 2010 - 3:59am / USA
bluesfan
I am a dutch citizen living in the united states for 20+ years now. All of y"all Europeans can say what you want, from which about 80% is negative comments about the States, BUT y'all seem to forget, if it wouldn't have been for the sacrifices of the American soldiers and heroes, ALL OF Y'ALL SELF RIGHTEOUS BLEEDING HEART LIBERALS WOULD BE SPEAKING GERMAN TODAY!!
===================================================================
CCCC
I see that you are consuming ameriKKKan history. ameriKKKan history is
written in pencil, so that it can be amended using an
eraser should the need arise to add or remove what ameriKKKans
call facts at that moment.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
bluefan
So shut the F**k up and say "Thank you for your sacrifice"

===================================================================
CCCCC
Hmmm! ameriKKKan english.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
bluefan
This country has been better to me then no other country could ever have been,
===================================================================
CCCCCCCCC
Better than North Korea, or China??
That says a lot!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
bluefan
I love the United States of America
===================================================================
CCCCCCC
http://www.zompist.com/latam.html
A coup in the Dominican Republic attempts to restore Bosch's government. The U.S. invades and occupies the country to stop this "Communist rebellion," with the help of the dictators of Brazil, Paraguay, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

U.S.-supported military coup kills Allende and brings Augusto Pinochet Ugarte to power. Pinochet imprisons well over a hundred thousand Chileans (torture and rape are the usual methods of interrogation), terminates civil liberties, abolishes unions, extends the work week to 48 hours, and reverses Allende's land reforms.

CIA mines three Nicaraguan harbors. Nicaragua takes this action to the World Court, which brings an $18 billion judgment against the U.S. The U.S. refuses to recognize the Court's jurisdiction in the case.

A coup in the Dominican Republic attempts to restore Bosch's government. The U.S. invades and occupies the country to stop this "Communist rebellion," with the help of the dictators of Brazil, Paraguay, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
bluefan
It scares the f**k out of me
===================================================================
CCCCC
Well you are a rarity!!! A scared Dutchman.

Anonymous 18 May 2010 - 1:26am / Canada

bluesfan45

3 May 2010 - 4:37pm / USA
reply
No matter the reason for the involvement of the US, they still were THE reason the war came to an end. I'm sorry you're so bitter, I will keep you in my prayers.
Oh by the way, I'll be visiting my folks in Holland this year.
ike I do every year.
Hope you feel better.
===================================================================

Well to burst your bubble..........................
Can you identify any country that took part
on the side of the allies???
NO???
ameriKKKa entered the war when profits
from selling Fords, IBM machines, and
FANTA orange dropped off!

http://www.timewitnesses.org/english/~angela2.html
Machine-gunning civilian refugees

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mylai/mylai.htm

My Lai: An Account

by Douglas Linder(c) 1999
The My Lai courts-martial are the stories of two tragedies growing out of American involvement in Viet Nam. One was the massacre by United States soldiers of as many as 500 unarmed civilians-- old men, women, children--in My Lai on the morning of March 16, 1968. The other was the cover-up of that massacre.... (CONT.) .

http://www.namebase.org/sources/HQ.html

When Charles Higham was going through declassified documents in 1978 for a biography on Errol Flynn and his Nazi associations, he found "numerous cross-references to prominent figures who, I had always assumed, were entirely committed to the American cause, yet who had been marked down for suspected subversive activities." Higham had heard about certain tycoons in American, British, and German commerce and industry who continued their associations during the war. They wanted a negotiated peace with Germany that would preclude any reorganization of Europe, and only when it was clear that Germany would lose did they become more "loyal" to America. After the war they "pushed into Germany, protected their assets, restored Nazi friends to high office, helped provoke the Cold War, and insured the permanent future of The Fraternity."

The Nazis would not have won because ameriKKKa stayed home.
The European geography post war would have been
different, and ameriKKKa could still sell
their products in Europe (maybe)!

Read and ENJOY!!

DavieAlvin 24 March 2011 - 12:37am / USA

This law was bound to raise some controversy from the start and I am sure that those who worked on it knew it. But this just goes to show that Arizona state officials really have a problem with illegal immigration over their borders, a problem that couldn't be solved by the federal government. Because it can be interpreted as discriminatory, there will be a lot of global visas complaints coming in from Arizona if this law is enforced.

Anonymous 4 May 2010 - 5:00am / Lalaland

Probably this new Arizonian Immigration law will nevert be implemented, due to the many challenges in court against it and because it occupies the field of the federal immigration laws.. It will be pre-empted for sure.

Anonymous 2 May 2010 - 4:12am

For years people have been saying that the European continent is being transformed beyond recognition. Pray tell then, why should any American care how a European feels about anything ? You people may have lost your continent and your identity but at least you haven't lost your sense of humor: The idea that you honestly believe that any American would listen to you is really very funny !

emre 3 May 2010 - 9:37am / Netherlands

You're funny too cos you think somebody actually cares about your country or you white people's safety there...I'll tell you what mate, you start by doing that in Arizona, then take it all over the country, put back the signs "no negro or dog allowed" in your restaurant and supermarkets and load your shotgun, redneck!
They're coming...And Europe FYI, is the first place you'll run to when it will be too late in your country to have a decent life.

bluesfan45 3 May 2010 - 4:32pm / USA

Hey Emre, why do you have to bring race into the conversation? This is about breaking the law and not about skin color. It seems that any argument that cannot be won with facts, certain individuals have to always bring up the race card.

Anonymous 18 May 2010 - 1:36am / Canada

bluesfan45 3 May 2010 - 4:32pm / USA
Hey Emre, why do you have to bring race into the conversation? This is about breaking the law and not about skin color. It seems that any argument that cannot be won with facts, certain individuals have to always bring up the race card.
===================================================================

Oh yes!!! Leave the race card out of this................................

http://maafa.org/

http://maafa.org/start.html

Look and enjoy!

Bluesfan45 2 May 2010 - 1:20pm / Usa

Amen, brother!

Bluesfan45 1 May 2010 - 3:59am / USA

I am a dutch citizen living in the united states for 20+ years now. All of y"all Europeans can say what you want, from which about 80% is negative comments about the States, BUT y'all seem to forget, if it wouldn't have been for the sacrifices of the American soldiers and heroes, ALL OF Y'ALL SELF RIGHTEOUS BLEEDING HEART LIBERALS WOULD BE SPEAKING GERMAN TODAY!!
So shut the F**k up and say "Thank you for your sacrifice"
This country has been better to me then no other country could ever have been, I love the United States of America and if you are an illegal immigrant you are breaking the law and are a CRIMINAL.
It scares the f**k out of me to see Obama and his cronies trying to europify us here, we are (soon to be were if he keeps on lying and caniving the way he is) the most powerful country in the world for a reason. And to think that you can improve this by taking away our freedoms and God, makes you look completely delusional.

emre 3 May 2010 - 9:45am

yeah, yeah same bullshit about the war and how the marines saved our ass!!! Come on man, go on with your life...THE US only joined the war in 44 because they finally got the contracts to rebuild the continent...And it's not because the Germans invaded all Europe once that I still call them Nazis! Since they "freed" us, there's been Vietnam, All the coups in south America, Iraq (x2), Afghanistan....they are worst than nazis in terms of annihilated civilians, they have no moral reasons to invade these countries only economical!

So enjoy your stay there Yank! and never come back to Holland!

bluesfan45 3 May 2010 - 4:37pm / USA

No matter the reason for the involvement of the US, they still were THE reason the war came to an end. I'm sorry you're so bitter, I will keep you in my prayers.
Oh by the way, I'll be visiting my folks in Holland this year. Like I do every year.
Hope you feel better.

Yijiang Wang 1 May 2010 - 5:27pm / China/Canada

We north america still works on laws, we are falling behind. China stopped working on laws a long time ago.

Anonymous 29 April 2010 - 9:59pm / USA-Texas

The unfortuneate fact is that the majority of criminals and illegal aliens in Arizona (and Texas) are hispanic, which means, the latino communnity has already racially profiled itself: sort of like saying, German like good beer. The sooner the problem is eliminated, the sooner the legal citizens of hispanic descent can get back to normal. However, it's not going to do any good for the police to stop and search caucasians: there aren't enough illegal immigrants fo causcasian descent to worry about. The mexican ones, hwowever, pose genuine problems which will continue to get worse until firm action is taken, and the longer nothing is done, the stronger the action required. We continue to allow muslims across our borders, in spite of Osama bin Laden's koranic justifications for 9/11. However, we also bombed Hiroshima and Dresden and locked up Japanese nationals during WW2. Our tolerance is wide and open, but understand, there is a limit, at which point we will defend ourselves, effectively.

Samuel R. Ganczaruk 28 April 2010 - 11:51pm / Oregon, USA

Whenever civil rights are denied to one group, all groups are in danger of being denied civil rights. The people of Arizona have ignored this lesson of history and have allowed fear to take over their state government. One of the writers of this law is a neo Nazi and there are photographs of him standing with leaders of neo Nazis. Even though my 90 year old mother lives in Arizona, I will boycott Arizona until they repeal this fascist law.

Anonymous 1 May 2010 - 11:12pm / U.S.A.

Samuel: I'm afraid you've been misinformed. Please read the Arizona law more carefully. No one can be asked his immigration status unless he's already been stopped for another violation. I am asked for my ID, e.g. financial transactions, traffic stops (license and registration please),etc., and it's not a violation of my civil rights. If anyone wants to know my immigation status, I'll gladly provide it without feeling slighted. If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. This idea that only darkskinned people, including U.S. citizens, will be outright asked for their "papers" and if they don't have them, be carted off to jail is bogus and totally false.
Another misunderstanding is that these brazen invaders called illegal aliens have exactly the same constitutional rights as U.S. citizens. The Preamble to the Constitution starts "We the People of the United States of America" not We the People of the World. The Constitution was written to safeguard the rights of U.S. citizens, period. If you are a foreign invader, you can expect fairness and humane treatment, but that's it.

Anonymous 29 April 2010 - 10:06pm / Texas (it's a country, son)

Criminals forfeit civil rights, like the freedom to walk out the jailhouse door, as a consequence of their blatant disrespect for the civil rights of others.

Pavelina 27 April 2010 - 6:25am / U.S.A.

Your headline says "anti-immigration law". It is nothing of the kind. It's an anti ILLEGAL immigration law. There's a world of difference between the two. Your article also refers to "illegal citizens". There's no such thing an an "illegal citizen". That's an oxymoron. Americans are welcoming to legal immigrants and we've been long-suffering in the face of illegal migration because these are mostly poor people and they tend to arouse our sympathy but now our lives are in danger from this phenomenon.
Your photo does not show an example of the main reason why the anti-iLLEGAL-immigration law was passed. It should have shown a photo of a member of the Mexican mafia, or some other of the hundreds of drug involved gangs that make life in Mexico so precarious. Even the run of the mill labor migrants are often commandeered to carry drugs into the country, and it was probably one of them who murdered the rancher Robert Krentz in late March. On the subject of whether their constitutional rights will be violated, I, a U.S. citizen, am asked to show my ID frequently when I do financial transactions. It is not an infringement of my constitutional rights. If law enforcement asked to see my ID I'd show it and go on my way. If you are a legal resident or citizen, you have nothing to fear. But the open-borders crowd do not want this because AZ is full of Mexicans and others who snuck into the U.S. and they don't want to have to leave.
Do Europeans know that the world capital for kidnappings for ransom and home invasions is Mexico City and PHOENIX, AZ IS NUMBER TWO in the world in these crimes? Big time Mexican crime is now moving into our country. Americans are living in fear. We need and deserve some help from our Fed. Govt. and we're not getting it. Republicans do not want the flow of illegals to stop because their wealthy business patrons want an unending supply of low wage labor. The Democrats want the flow to continue because these illegals are mainly poor people and as such are natural constituents of the Democratic Party, and when they start to vote (legally or illegally) they will form large democratic voting blocks which the Democrats hope will eventually keep them in power forever.

Brittanicus 27 April 2010 - 4:49am / USA

Sovereignty-minded citizens and legal residents must throw out any pro-Amnesty, Pro-Illegal immigrant legislators in the coming elections. Join the people of NumbersUSA, the Tea Party members to discard Sen. Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, John McCain, Chuck Schumer and certainly Lindsey Graham who are pushing to allow the 20 to 30 million illegal criminal aliens who stole though our border. These are not all the culprits and you can find a index of the illegal immigration invasion procurers at NumbersUSA Other involved are Governors, Mayors, Judges and official city managers.. In conclusion that illegal immigrants are criminals and already violated the law, will no doubt vote in the midterm or November elections. Only 8 states require picture ID to vote, which opens the door to just about anybody else to cheat the people of these United States. This has been my blog battle since Reid tried to table E-Verify, to reduce illegal labor in the workforce.

Even picture ID is not significant enough as fraudulent documents are rampant to get jobs and welfare entitlement. Advocates we be needed to watch the very large population of illegal aliens in Nevada, to examine whether they are a citizen. Incumbent Harry Reid re-election campaign should receive careful scrutiny against his adversary J.D. Hayward for irregularities. This will be a message to alert Democrats-Liberals and Republicans alike, that will not condone anything but zero tolerance where AMNESTY is concerned. CRIMINALS WILL NOT GET A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES. DEPLOY THE NATIONAL GUARDSMAN TO THE BORDER NOW BEFORE THE NEXT CATTLEMAN'S DEATH.
NumbersUSA is your organization to stop this travesty of our immigration laws. Join in and fight back against the lies spread by Liberals and the Liberal effected newspapers.

Brittanicus 27 April 2010 - 4:48am / Indianapolis, IN. USA

This unmatched chaos caused by decades of unimportance as seen by both political parties over illegal immigration. In this firestorm of an issue we need to enact immediately the following measures to stabilize our nation’s immigration enforcement. This is specifically come to the surface after the bloody murder of Robert Krentz, rancher and landowner, with the upsurge in deaths of border Patrol agents and illegal aliens. 1. Deploy the National Guard permanently--fully armed along the border from San Diego, CA to Brownville, Texas. 2. Make it a felony with prison time for any employer not using the computer application E-Verify, to identify all workers on the payroll. This program will improve nationwide impact of self-deportation by ATTRITION, over the coming years for unlawful labor. 3. To terminate decades of unprecedented billions of dollars of debt for support of illegal immigrants on taxpayers. Read what Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) has to say about what taxpayers are forced to pay for 20 to 30 million illegal immigrants at--THE DAILY CALLER WEBSITE.

Reestablish the legality of instant citizenship to babies born to an illegal parent or parents in federal court. 4. Make absolutely sure that any incumbent of both parties, starting with Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) is thrown out of office this year. Send this searing message to--ALL--pro illegal immigrant, Pro-amnesty politicians that America will not stand any longer lawmakers that are for sale to the highest bidder. 5. Those elected will re-fence the border as two separate barriers, with an open tracking area in between for the movement of National Guardsman accompanying the US Border patrol with full funding. That lawmakers who are supposedly there to represent every citizen and permanent resident possessing a green card, appropriate the money to seal the border from illegal entry. That these same elected officials have already spent $445 Billion dollars in taxpayer’s money in supporting some distant foreign government in Afghanistan; they therefore can easily appropriate funds for the correctly designed border fence.

As a patriotic people we will voice our vehemence that we will join the war against any type of Comprehensive Immigration Reform. That contains in any shape or form a citizenship path, for those who stole into America. THERE WILL BE NO AMNESTY--NO PARDON FOR CRIMINALS WHO IGNORE OUR LAWS. We are not the financial, free-handout for foreign labor, which cannot support those entering America illegally. Arizona is the first state with a backbone that has been financial crippled by welfare payments to illegal alien families. Its undercurrent caused by the rising crime rate never seen to this extent before. Violence on a grand scale has flowed across the Rio Grande from the illicit drug industry. Exhaustion of the local police in Phoenix and other communities unable to handle the daily homicides, kidnappings, home invasions, predatory smuggling people and the narcotics trade.

Any state, county city, town or public servant that boycotts the exceptional state of Arizona, should be black-listed. Hopefully--Americans will donate (however small) money to Arizona if the Governor Jan brewer gets sued. Perhaps a good patriotic American will arrange a website for everybody to give money in the immediate future? If and when it happens my check will be waiting...? If that happens Americans will boycott companies that hire illegal immigrants and that I will add--ONE--company hiring foreign labor to my blogs.

NUMBERSUSA--is the website for the legal people of this country, so you can fight this illegal immigrant epidemic--with over a MILLION--members. We are here to tell the--TRUTH--not lies or well-honed rhetoric as the Far-Left liberals, hidden inside the Democratic Party, not from the Liberal editors of national press at the, Huffington Post, New York Times or the Los Angeles Times and others.

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