Truth about Immigration

Miami detractors and defenders of Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigration aired their views in a lively town-hall style meeting broadcast nationally Friday night by the Spanish-language network Univision. Ever since the Arizona immigration law passed critics fear that it will lead to racial profiling. The measure requires police to ask his or her immigration status if there’s “reasonable suspicion” that the person is in the country illegally. If they were illegal it would be a state crime under the law. A Maricopa Sheriff of Arizona, Joseph Arpaio asks that people give the bill time before judging it. The measure is set to go in effect July 29, 2010. "This is just another law. I am not concerned about the hype, the threats, the racial profiling" accusations, Arpaio said. "We are talking about illegal immigration, that when you cross that border, you have broken the law." Experts on immigration law and public policy, representatives of national Hispanic organizations and advocates of enforcement against illegal immigrants, and one representative from The White House attended the event. Arizona sheriff Antonio Estrada of Santa Cruz county criticized the new law saying that it requires local law enforcement to watch for illegal immigrants when this used to be the job of the federal authorities. "In Santa Cruz, we don't have the budget to add another level of authority," he said. "The Border Patrol doesn't do the work for local officers. They don't investigate robberies, assaults, homicides." Although he doesn’t agree he still promised to enforce the law. Arpaio, meanwhile, took to task U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez for his opposition to Arizona's law. The Illinois Democrat was among 35 people arrested about a week ago during a protest at the White House. "You were locked up in front of the White House. You were safer here in Phoenix," Arpaio said. "We do not racial profile; we do not go on street corners and round up people because they look like different people." A group of students wore white T-shirts reading "30644”, a number people can text to show support for the DREAM Act, long-sought federal legislation that would provide relief to some illegal immigrants who arrived before age 16. A recent poll was taken about illegal immigrants. Most Hispanics believe illegal immigrants are a boon to this country and the ones who aren’t Hispanic believe they are a drain on society. It also found out that most Hispanics condemn Arizona’s new law, while only 20% of non-Hispanics oppose it. Jan Brewer, the governor of Arizona says when she signed the bill in April, that racial profiling would not be tolerated.