I fully understand this emotionally charged issue, and WHY it is so emotionally charged. I lived in Arizona for several years. I saw the issues..Hell, I live in Pennsylvania, and I see illegals working here as well. I will say, however, not a single one of them is working a job that anyone but my 15 year old son would consider doing. That being said, I have to say something else. My husband and I both served in the Air Force for several years. During that time, I served with many americans of Hispanic descent. One of them, in particular, lives in Arizona now. He is not first generation..he is not even second generation. He is a third generation American Hispanic who has served his country, and now lives in Arizona. Now...Say this friend of mine is walking down the street, and is asked to show his documentaion? Were I him, and this were to happen, I would be absolutely and utterly offended and upset about it just on principle. Now, lets go further, and say he is out without his wallet. Now, they are going to haul him into the police station and make him sit around for several hours while thye dig him out of the database. Not only is it an incredible waste of the officers' time. It is an incredible waste of HIS time, and while I am not a fan of litigiousness, it is also a case for a sweet little lawsuit.
How about, instead of knee jerk legislation, we sit down and do something that will actually work, and not put undue burden on our police, undue burden on the many legal hispanics in this country, and even more undue burden on our taxpayers?
Because deny it as many try to, this IS a kneejerk piece of legislation. Its a "we're not gonna take it anymore" type of law, that will, in the long run (and even the short run apparently) be way more complex, confusing, and troublesome than not having the law in the first place. I am a firm believer that instead of arguing incessantly, people should make a decision and give it a go to see what happens. But there also needs to be SOME real thought made on it beforehand. And I don't see that thought put into this law.