'Immigration' reform in Arizona

My immigrant husband and I lived in Tucson, Arizona for four months when we returned to the U.S.
We relocated to the Bay Area, Ca about two months ago, after finding the desert to be less than appealing during the summer months, and because there were better work opportunities here.

Recently a controversial 'Immigration" bill was passed that allows police officers to ask for immigration status during routine stops.
I honestly don't know the full details of the bill, but it seems strange to me that such a law would even cause a stir. In every other country of the world, you have to carry your paperwork and proof of status with you.
We did so in Thailand.
We did so in Vietnam.
I did so in the U.K. (To an extent. I only had to provide a picture I.D unless I was on the clock working somewhere, in which case then I had to have my passport and work permit on me at all times.)
If that is the full impact of the law, and there isn't some small print that changes the game, I have to say that I'm not finding a whole lot of reason not to support it.

But then... but then...
There was an incident.

Before the law was enacted, my husband and I were traveling between Tombstone and Tucson and came upon an immigration check point.
He wasn't carrying his passport, only his British Driver's License.
Uh oh.
The border patrol glanced in our car, saw us both with our blond hair and light eyes, and asked if we were both citizens. We answered truthfully.
This man was stunned. Seriously. The look on his face was hysterical.
We admitted that he was from the U.K, and the officer asked if he had his passport and visa with us.
We did not. All we could do is show proof of Colin's legality to drive in the U.S (It's an international license) We couldn't provide proof of him actually being here legally.
The border patrol officer looked at us.
He looked at his co workers.
He looked at us again.
He waved us on.

My husband was not here legally at the time.
We've been working on his green card, but it is expensive. During the date of that stop, he was undocumented. (Unknowingly.)
We didn't find this out until later. Basically the stamp on his passport expired two days before INS received our paperwork package. Once they did, his status changed from overstay to pending, but for those 48 hours, we could have gotten into a bit of trouble.
Legally, he could have been deported, but in reality, it's an unspoken rule that spouses don't get shipped off. They probably would have fined us (again, helpful since we are struggling to afford the filing fees that are now in excess of $1800) and gave him a warning.
But still, it bothers me.
Had he been dark haired and dark eyed and spoke with a Latino accent instead of a Scottish lilt, the outcome would have been different. I know it. That's the reality of the situation. This was even before the law passed. I'm curious what it's like now.

Recently another bill has been proposed in Arizona.
This one makes my stomach turn.
Professional douchebag and Republican senator Russell Pearce has introduced the prospect of a new bill, one that would revoke or simply no longer grant citizenship to babies born on U.S soil but to illegal parents.
Funny, but this was discussed in another thread about a year ago. At the time, I'm pretty sure I supported something like it. Now I'm a little afraid. (I think that my 'support' was that so-called anchor babies should not be allowed to sponsor their parents, under the logic that if their parents were here illegally, they were breaking U.S law, and no one should be able to be sponsored if they have broken U.S law. Also, I think I said that their parents should still be subject to deportation on a case by case basis. I still believe this, really.) But this... This is not the law I was looking for, Arizona.
I just wanted you to enforce already existing immigration policy, not start writing new ones.
Any time a legislator starts talking about reforming any amendment in the Constitution, especially those written before the last one hundred years, I fear for my personal liberties.

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Permalink Reply by Sassan K. on June 2, 2011 at 10:14pm

"I think people could start killing just because people LOOK Muslim."

I think you are a little too paranoid.

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Permalink Reply by Karen Azimianaraki on June 2, 2011 at 10:44pm

Like it hasn't happened already. The taxi driver in NY. The gas station worker in Arizona. With all the hate talk like this, it is going to escalate. How long did it take for the Holocaust?? I don't know I am not an historian, I am trying to protect my adult children from wakos that hate a certain a religion and are willing to kill them. For somebody that probably have had both good and bad with that religion,I don't know what all your hatred is about. I feel sorry for you.

Iran wasn't always as you call it "Islamic" it was a beautiful country. I hope you can see it again the way it was. But if we bomb the country because of their leaders craziness you will never see it the way I did. I do not want to offend you but..Khodahafez.(goodbye)if you don't know Farsi.

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Permalink Reply by Sassan K. on June 2, 2011 at 10:53pm

The taxi driver in NY.

The kid wasn't even racist, he had done volunteer work in the Middle East. He was under some sort of schizophrenia breakdown or drugs...but his background demonstrated he was not motivated by hatred. Regardless, specific isolated cases don't mean anything because those people go to jail and are prosecuted for their crimes. There is no hate talk, it is the truth. Islam is a dangerous venom and we must protect our country. As an Iranian-American and being in contact with other Iranian-Americans, we are not discriminated upon one bit.

If one is looking for something, one can find something in anything. This is why Obama's Presidency is so good, it gives young black kids an opportunity to not use the blame-my-race card and gives them more of a psychological lift to become successful. I agree with you, Iran wasn't always under this brutal regime. We had the Shah and a times of modernity and respect as a nation. I blame the situation on Iran on the evil Mullah's; let's not blame America. Blame the revolution and the people who hijacked our country (Iran) and destroyed it back into the stone ages. What gives me hope is the youth and the mindset of the people now; once this regime goes, Iranians will never go back to Islam. I don't hate anyone; but I don't think we should blame America for anything when America has provided Iranians the chance to be very successful and be the top doctors, lawyers, and whatever hopes a young kid may have...but unfortunately I feel that in order to assist the Iranian people for liberation, military assistance may be inevitable and necessary.

You didn't offend me, that is the whole point about conversation!!! I just don't think see the
"discrimination" you do especially if you live in Los Angeles area?? Remember, one can look for discrimination if one is thinking that everyone else is racist.

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Permalink Reply by Ed on October 11, 2011 at 6:25pm

Illegals are rational and possess the ability to reason I'm sure. If they discover America no longer honors rights to citizenship to a child born unto illegals maybe they might reconsider crossing the border. It couldn't hurt. The child would be considered the same nationality as it's parents. What's so harmful about that?

My brother in law has the misfortune of working alongside illegals on a regular basis in his profession as a mason. He told me a story this past weekend:

Illegals have a network of contacts to provide false documentation. One individual had been using a false social security number until his checks started to be garnished for child support payments. He didn't have any kids. He told his boss to fire him and he'd back the next day as someone else. Sure enough he showed up the following day with a new identity on paper. Pretty slick, huh?

I monitored illegals in our prison system who were in for everything from rape to murder to auto theft. Were paying through the nose for these 35+ million illegals to sponge off our system. And the money they make: they ship that back to Mexico to support the relatives and put what's left in the bank.

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Permalink Reply by basement kitteh on October 27, 2011 at 8:50pm

I don't like the immigration politics in Arizona, but in the fairness, the green card and its instructions tell it's owner to "Carry it on your person at all times". That meaning when you are outside your house, you should have the green card, and as a backup, keep a photocopy of it in a safe (with your passport - which you don't need for daily use).

In other places such as Italy and Brazil I've seen people been treated more fairly: it's not just the foreigners or immigrants that should carry an ID by law, it's everyone. It's not just the foreigners who have to provide their fingerprints for IDs, it's also the Brazilians. It's not just the Italians who need an ID when they are outside their house, it's everyone. I don't like being forced to carry an ID, but at least treat people equally: all or no one. Either all should carry an ID (with proof of a status of their nationality included, and NOT just a US driver's license for locals), or make it voluntary.

Let's see, when a green card holder applies for US citizenship and gets it approved, from that moment on they don't have to carry an ID with them. No green card any more, and no US citizen is forced to carry a US passport on their person at all times while in the US. But what if he or she has an accent? Unfortunately that means in practice they have to carry a copy of their naturalization certificate because of the politics above, as the US driver's license is not enough.

Oh, and my advice for anyone still in process of any paperwork: if you only have your passport, keep a copy of it with you (rather than the original) unless you know you'll need the real thing, as replacing the passport can be really expensive (and painful if you have to fly within the country to get a new one). Plus any documentation you've received from USCIS + something showing the alien number.