SOAPBOX TIME

This is a dark day in America. The federal judge who blocked portions of the Arizona illegal immigration law has blocked several portions of the law, or at least put them on hold.

The judge delayed parts of the law that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times and that made it illegal for undocumented workers to solicit employment in public places. I thought that immigrants had to carry their "green card" at all times. At least, in the past that was the case. I remember public service announcements in the NYC subway system that reminded aliens (immigrants) to renew their "green card" and carry it with them. Officers cannot check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws. Will someone please explain to me why that is wrong. If you are stopped for a traffic violation, you submit your drivers' license while the police check up on you to see that you aren't wanted for having committed any crimes. That should stop now since crossing a country's border illegally IS a crime.

I can't understand why the federal government wouldn't want any help in controlling ILlegal immigration. The great state of Arizona was willing to provide that help but has been turned down. It seems that the federal government can't or doesn't want to control the problem. Federal lawyers said the law is disrupting U.S. relations with Mexico and other countries and would burden the agency that responds to immigration status inquries.

What has Mexico done for us, aside from exporting their drugs, that we have to be afraid of ruining relations. If the agency that responds to immigration status inquiries is understaffed, why don't they hire more people, thus reducing unemployment in this country. This would result in more income from taxes and less outgo through unemployment benefits and would help the president grow the government.

One of the arguments against this law that I find deplorable is that it would lead to racial profiling. Racial profiling is specifically forbidden by this law. What those arguing that it would lead to profiling are doing is declaring the state police of Arizona guilty until proven innocent. I always thought that a person is innocent until proven guilty. But I guess that doesn't apply to police officers.

I completely disagree with this judge and side with the people of Arizona. In case you haven't figured it out by now.