With the stroke of a pen, Arizona governor Jan Brewer has put into effect the toughest immigration law in the US.
“I have decided to sign Senate Bill 1070 into law because, though many people disagree, I firmly believe it represents what’s best for Arizona.”
Police in the border state with Mexico will now be required to determine if people are in the country illegally if there is “reasonable suspicion”. The new law also makes it a crime to transport someone who is an illegal immigrant and to hire day laborers off the street.
President Obama criticized Arizona’s approach to illegal immigration earlier on Friday and called for Congress to take up immigration reform.
“Indeed, our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others. That includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona which threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe. In fact, I’ve instructed members of my administration to closely monitor the situation and examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation.”
Several thousand people gathered outside the state capital in Phoenix ahead of the Arizona governor’s announcement. An estimated 11 million illegal immigrants live and work in the US.
John Decker, Reuters.
