Thursday, July 08, 2010

Immigration Law

For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise. Benjamin Franklin



Lately I have been having an argument with a co-worker on the immigration laws established by Arizona. It's very difficult for me, as a hispanic american, who doesn't speak spanish, and is having a hard time finding a cultural link to my mexican heritage.

My family has been in this country so long, it's like I might as well be my own nationality. White, but not white skinned. Or a "coconut" as my sister calls us, brown on the outside, white on the inside. I have so many instances where people walk up to me, and immediately start speaking spanish, assuming that I am spanish-speaking.

I wish I could just drop the argument, but my friend's only argument is "They're illegal, they broke the law entering the country, and that's that." Unfortunately, it's not that simple, and I can't quite get her to understand.

I keep reflecting on the movie Gattaca and the quote "Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one." ~ Benjamin Franklin

My friend is willing to sacrifice her fourth amendment right to reasonable search and seizure when it comes to dealing with illegal immigrants. She would be willing to allow police to stop her whenever they wish, just to demand proof of citizenship. And not only is she willing to give up her freedom, but mine and yours as well.

For her, it's more important that a person who came to the United States illegally be arrested and deported, than keep the peace at home and avoid the idea of a police-state where we are constantly dealing with the roving drones who demand proof that we are law-abiding citizens.

I pitched a scenario of a legal US citizen walking down the street and is legally harassed by the police. She argued she had been through the scenario already, accused of being a drug addict as she walked home. I wasn't able to continue the argument that the police could continue to harrass this "hypothetical" citizen, day after day after day, because she became quite angry that I refused to see her side. I didn't push the argument because I'd rather concede than lose a friend.

But what if...

If you were that person, harassed every day by the police. They show up wherever you are, at work, at home, on the street with friends, and demand you prove you're a legal citizen, and there's nothing you can do about it. That's what this law has done. It has provided an opening for a peace-officer to make your life a living hell without reason, and without cause. They have the ability to use their own subjective standard to judge you and stop you from going about your day....



The Fourth Amendment


The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.



I'm not arguing on behalf of illegal immigrants, I'm arguing for myself. I'm looking at the ability of a state government to take away my constitutional right and acting as an American who adores her freedom.

As for my opening quote from Benjamin Franklin, if there is any argument that could sway me from giving up my freedoms, I haven't heard them. I've only heard one argument used over and over again, but it's still not enough to give up what our ancestors fought to create and protect. There has to be a better way to secure our country without compromising our best trait.