A federal Judge in Arizona rejected the notion that the “show your papers” law discriminates against Hispanics.
The ruling by US District Court Judge Susan Ritchie Bolton on Friday was among the last of the seven challenges to the 2010 law. This section allowed Arizona cops to check the immigration status of anyone they stop.
This section, which is sometimes called the “show your papers” provision, has caused immigration activists to believe that it is a total discrimination against Hispanics, but the judge on the other hand rejected those claims because the law allows the cops to check anyone they stop and not only the Hispanics.
According to the Reuters , Bolton also upheld a section of the law that allows the cops to check to see if any one under arrest is in the country legally or not. She moreover avoided any laws targeting day laborers.
Other Immigration activist are not in favor of this law and considers it a disgraceful law. Karen Tumlin, the legal director of the National Immigration Law Center, said they were evaluating their options.
“We will continue working on behalf of our courageous plaintiffs to show that Arizona can do better than this disgraceful law,” she said in a statement.
According to E pic Time s, U.S public support for increasing immigration has actually increased over the past 15 years, however it still remains the minority position. The American public still largely thinks immigration should be decreased rather than increased.
The immigration law, also known as ”papers please,” was opposed from the lower court level in 2012, however the high court struck down other provisions of the law.
The Judge does not believe that this law will encourage the police to discriminate against Hispanics.
To add to that, a section of the law also mandates some kind of proof as to whether someone who was previously arrested is in the country illegally.
“(It) addresses circumstances after an individual is already in custody,” Bolton wrote. “The law is not a source for state officials’ arrest or detention powers.”
Former State Sen. Russell Pearce, who sponsored the initial legislation, applauded Bolton’s judgment.
“She made it very clear the law was written very carefully not to be a race issue. It’s not a racial law,” Pearce said.
Several laws, such as the state’s ban on immigrant smuggling as well as automatic denial of bail to illegal immigrants in the country who are charged with certain crimes, have since been thrown out by the courts.
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[Image courtesy John Moore via Getty]
