US immigration becomes a major issue nationwide
May 24 2010 by Liam Clifford
Arizona law continues to divide public opinion
Across the United States, state governments are debating whether to denounce or condone Arizona’s controversial new immigration measures.
Arizona’s new law requires police
to check the immigration status of anyone who they stop for a ‘legitimate
reason’ so long as they have a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that person might have made a
move to the US illegally.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon accused
Arizona of racially profiling Mexican immigrants in Arizona, during his two-day
state visit. "Despite their enormous contribution to the economy and society of
the United States," Calderon said, millions of immigrants "still live in the
shadows, and at times, like in Arizona, even face patterns of discrimination."
One state that looks set to follow Arizona’s example is Georgia. All
four of the candidates for state governor said they supported what Arizona did
and said that, if elected, they would follow suit.
Arizona may have the
support of neighbouring states, but it does not appear to have the support of
President Obama, who told a press conference that the new law "has the potential
of being applied in a discriminatory fashion." The President confirmed he had
directed the Justice Department to look "very carefully at the language of this
law," and report back soon whether it "comports with our core values and...
legal standards."
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