Will others follow Arizona's lead on immigration?

[Derechos]

CNN) -- Now that Arizona lawmakers have passed what's considered some of the toughest immigration legislation in the country, other states are watching to see whether they should follow in the state's footsteps or stand back.

Arizona's bill orders immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there's reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally. It also targets those who hire illegal immigrant day laborers or knowingly transport them.

Critics, including immigrant advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, are concerned that the legislation will foster racial profiling, arguing that most police officers don't have enough training to look past race while investigating a person's legal status.

The bill made it through the state Senate on Monday after it was passed by the state House last week. It's now awaiting the signature of Republican Gov. Jan Brewer. Supporters of the measure expect her to sign it. Latino members of Congress are calling on Brewer to veto it.

Michael Hethmon, general counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, helped draft the language of the Arizona bill. The institute is the legal affiliate of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

On the heels of the Arizona initiative, Hethmon said he has been approached by lawmakers from four other states who have asked for advice on how they can do the same thing where they live. He declined to identify the states, citing attorney-client privilege.

"Arizona was meant to be the leading edge," Hethmon said. "If you are going to work on developing a state-based response to this enormous problem -- the lack of a national immigration policy -- Arizona is the place to do it."

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/21/arizona.immigration.bill/index.html

[JBoy]

1. Arizona "the leading edge"

of the dullest knife in the drawer.

[Lance_Boyle]

2. Arizona hasn't done *anything* on IMMIGRATION.

Arizona's new law (assuming it becomes law) deals with illegal aliens, not immigrants.

It is disingenuous of you and other "open borders" advocates to conflate illegal aliens and immigration.

[DJ13]

5. +1

[The Northerner]

6. +1

[Speck Tater]

3. Barricaded checkpoints on every fourth street corner. "May I see your papers please."

Yup. That sure sounds like America to me. :sarcasm:

[Warpy]

4. All they've done is make "driving while brown" a crime

and set up the wholesale harassment of most of their citizens.

I don't think it's going to play well outside of Sun City.

[OHdem10]

7. I hope other states will not blindly follow AZ. but have rational

discussions realizing there are good points on each side .

[pampango]

8. If they have a republican legislature and governor, they will think seriously about it.

I doubt that any state with Democratic control of the legislature or a Democratic governor, will give such legislation a second thought. The repubs know that they benefit if they are able to shift the focus from those who caused the Great Recession to a bunch of poor foreigners. "They're the ones who took your jobs! Don't look at us!"