skippy the bush kangaroo: raising the bar, not arizona

Friday, April 30, 2010

raising the bar, not arizona

the president of the aba sez the new arizona "paperz, pleeze" immigration law is most likely unconstitutional:

the president of the american bar association strongly criticized a controversial new arizona immigration law in a written statement today.

the law, which requires police to seek proof of an individual's immigration status if they have a reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally, is seen by many as targeting minorities for racial profiling. the law also makes it a misdemeanor to fail to provide proof, if asked, that the person is legally in the united states.

"this law encourages second-class treatment of individuals based on the color of their skin, and that is unacceptable," says aba president carolyn b. lamm, who in a statement calls the recently signed measure "draconian" and "likely unconstitutional."

specifically, it implicates equal protection and due process concerns, threatening nearly half a century of civil rights progress in our country, she continues. "it is, quite simply put, a law based on prejudice and fear, one whose purpose is to be divisive."

posted by skippy at 4:46 PM |